B6.129S6-Dvl1^tm1Awb/J

Stock number: 007969
Research areas: Neurobiology Research, Sensorineural Research

Description

Mice that are homozygous for this targeted mutation on the 129S genetic background exhibit diminished social interaction behavior, do not barber or trim whiskers of cagemates, show subordinance in social dominance tests, do not sleep huddled together and do not build nests. This mutant mouse strain may be useful in studies of social behavior, sensorimotor gating, and possibly psychiatric disorders.

Detailed description

Mice that are homozygous for the targeted mutation are viable, fertile, normal in size and do not display any gross physical or behavioral abnormalities. No gene product (protein) is detected by Western blot analysis of MEF (mouse embryonic fibroblasts) derived from homozygotes. Homozygotes exhibit diminished social interaction behavior, do not barber or trim whiskers of cagemates, show subordinance in social dominance tests, do not sleep huddled together and do not build nests. Although mutants have an attenuated prepulse inhibition of acoustic and tactile startle (sensorimotor gating of the startle reflex), they do not exhibit any deficits in locomotor or cognitive function. This mutant mouse strain may be useful in studies of social behavior, sensorimotor gating, and possibly psychiatric disorders.

In an attempt to offer alleles on well-characterized or multiple genetic backgrounds, alleles are frequently moved to a genetic background different from that on which an allele was first characterized. This is the case for the strain above. It should be noted that the phenotype could vary from that originally described. We will modify the strain description if necessary as published results become available.

Development

A targeting vector containing neomycin resistance and herpes simplex virus thymidine kinase genes was used to disrupt part of exon 2 and exons 3 and 4, encoding amino acids 131-225. The construct was electroporated into 129S6/SvEvTac derived TC-1 embryonic stem (ES) cells. Correctly targeted ES cells were injected into recipient blastocysts. The resulting chimeric animals were crossed to mice, and then backcrossed to C57BL/6J for 15 generations.

Allele

Symbol: Dvl1^tm1Awb
Name: targeted mutation 1, Anthony Wynshaw-Boris
MGI accession ID: MGI:2137230
Generation method: Targeted
Attributes: Null/Knockout
Marker symbol: Dvl1
Marker name: dishevelled segment polarity protein 1
Chromosome: 4
Strain of origin: 129S6/SvEvTac
Molecular note: A neomycin selection cassette replaced a genomic fragment containing part of exon 2 and exons 3 and 4, which encode amino acids 131-225. Western blot analysis on embryonic fibroblasts derived from homozygous mice confirmed that no detectable protein was produced from this allele.