STOCK Gli3^tm1Alj/J

Stock number: 008873
Research areas: Developmental Biology Research, Neurobiology Research, Research Tools

Description

These Gli3^flox mutant mice harbor loxP sites flanking exon 8 of the GLI-Kruppel family member GLI3 (Gli3) gene and may be useful in generating conditional mutations for studying Hedgehog/Sonic Hedgehog signaling in the development of many organs (such as central nervous system and limb patterning), as well as the role of Gli3 in adult organs.

Detailed description

Mice homozygous for this Gli3^flox conditional allele are viable and fertile, with loxP sites flanking exon 8 of the targeted gene. When bred to mice that express Cre recombinase, the resulting offspring will have exon 8 deleted in the cre-expressing tissue(s). This results in a frameshift mutation upstream of the DNA-binding domain following splicing of mRNA from exon 7 to 9 and is reported to confer the null phenotype. These Gli3^flox mutant mice may be useful in generating conditional mutations for studying Hedgehog/Sonic Hedgehog signaling in the development of many organs (such as central nervous system and limb patterning), as well as the role of Gli3 in adult organs.

When bred to a strain expressing Cre recombinase in the nervous system (see Stock No. 003771 for example), this mutant mouse strain may be useful in studies of mid/hind brain development.

When bred to a strain with a En1 null allele and expressing Cre recombinase in brain (see Stock No. 007916 for example), this mutant mouse strain may be useful in studies of mid/hind brain development.

Development

A targeting vector was designed to place a loxP site and frt-flanked neo cassette upstream of exon 8, as well as a loxP site (containing an EcoRV site) downstream of exon 8 of the targeted gene. This construct was electroporated into 129S6/SvEvTac-derived W4 embryonic stem (ES) cells. Correctly targeted ES cells were injected into recipient blastocysts and chimeric mice were bred with C57BL/6 mice. The resulting Gli3^flox-neo mice were then bred to an Flp recombinase expressing strain (on a 129S6/SvEvTac genetic background; see Stock No. 003800) to remove the frt-flanked neo cassette; thus generating Gli3^flox offspring. Mice harboring only the Gli3^flox mutation were selected and bred to / maintained on an outbred Swiss Webster genetic background for many generations prior to arrival at The Jackson Laboratory. In addition, the donating investigator reports that although these mice harbor no additional mutant loci, they may contain incidental genetic background contributions as a result of past matings with other mutant mouse strains. Upon arrival, Gli3^flox mice were bred to 129S1/SvImJ (Stock No. 002448) for at least one generation to establish the colony.

Allele

Symbol: Gli3^tm1Alj
Name: targeted mutation 1, Alexandra L Joyner
MGI accession ID: MGI:3798847
Generation method: Targeted
Attributes: Conditional ready (e.g. floxed); No functional change
Marker symbol: Gli3
Marker name: GLI-Kruppel family member GLI3
Chromosome: 13
Strain of origin: 129S6/SvEvTac
Molecular note: An FRT site flanked neomycin resistance gene cassette with a 5' loxP site was inserted upstream of exon 8 and an additional loxP site was inserted downstream of exon 8. Germ line, flp-mediated recombination was used to remove the neo cassette leaving exon 8 floxed.