B6.C-Cacng2^stg-3J/LetJ

Stock number: 008624
Research areas: Cell Biology Research, Neurobiology Research

Description

Mice homozygous for this spontaneous mutation of the calcium channel, voltage-dependent, gamma subunit 2 gene have an ataxic gait. Although EEG readings show no spike wave discharge, absence seizures are observed. (personal communication). Stargazer 3J mice may be useful in studies of epilepsy and voltage-dependent calcium channels.

Detailed description

Homozygotes for the stargazer 3 Jackson allele exhibit a much milder phenotype than mice homozygous for the stargazer allele. Mice are identified at 3-4 weeks by an ataxic gait. Although EEG readings show no spike wave discharge, absence seizures are observed. (personal communication) This strain may be useful in studies of epilepsy and voltage-dependent calcium channels.

Development

This spontaneous mutation arose on BALB/cJ in the production colonies of The Jackson Laboratory. It was backcrossed a minimum of ten generations to C57BL/6J in the laboratory of Dr. Wayne Frankel and Dr. Verity Letts and donated to the Repository in 2008.

Allele

Symbol: Cacng2^stg-3J
Name: stargazer 3 Jackson
MGI accession ID: MGI:2155891
Generation method: Spontaneous
Marker symbol: Cacng2
Marker name: calcium channel, voltage-dependent, gamma subunit 2
Chromosome: 15
Strain of origin: BALB/cJ
Molecular note: The phenotype of the stargazer 3J mouse has been attributed to an early transposon (ETn) insertion into intron 2, approximately 2 kb downstream from the site of the ETn insertion that gave rise to the original stargazer mutation. RT-PCR analysis demonstrated that in addition to two aberrant transcripts generated by the insertion, some normally spliced mRNA was detected, suggesting that this mutation does not represent a complete null allele.