B6.129S1-Irf4^tm1Rdf/J

Stock number: 009380
Product name: Irf4^fl
Strain synonyms: Irf4^frtfl
Research areas: Research Tools

Description

These Irf4 (interferon regulatory factor 4) conditional (floxed) mutant mice may be useful in generating conditional mutations for studying plasma cell development, immunoglobulin class switch recombination and autoimmune lymphoproliferative disease. Cre-mediated recombination also results in expression of GFP (Green Fluorescent Protein) which can be used to trace Irf4 ablation.

Detailed description

These mice possess loxP sites on either side of exons 1 and 2 of the targeted gene. Mice that are homozygous for this allele are viable, fertile, normal in size and do not display any gross physical or behavioral abnormalities. When these mutant mice are bred to mice that express Cre recombinase, resulting offspring will have exons 1 and 2 deleted and GFP expression in the cre-expressing tissue(s). When crossed to mice that express Flp recombinase, the entire targeting construct, including exons 1 and 2, are deleted in the FLP expressing tissues.

When bred to a strain expressing Cre recombinase in B lymphocytes (see Stock No. 006785 for example), this mutant mouse strain may be useful in studies of plasma cell development and immunoglobulin class switch recombination.

When bred to a strain expressing Cre recombinase in T regulatory cells, this mutant mouse strain may be useful in studies of autoimmune lymphoproliferative disease.

Development

A loxP site flanked targeting vector containing a PGKneo cassette was utilized in the construction of this mutant. Sequence encoding a promoterless eGFP minigene, a loxP site and the PGKneo cassette was inserted upstream of exon 1 of the targeted gene, and another loxP site followed by the PGK promoter was inserted downstream of exon 2. The entire targeted region was flanked by FRT sites. This construct was electroporated into 129S1/Sv-Oca2⁺ Tyr⁺ Kitl⁺-derived W9.5 embryonic stem (ES) cells. Correctly targeted ES cells were injected into C57BL/6 blastocysts. Resulting chimeric male animals were crossed to C57BL/6 females, and were then backcrossed to C57BL/6 for 8 generations.

Allele

Symbol: Irf4^tm1Rdf
Name: targeted mutation 1, Riccardo Dalla-Favera
MGI accession ID: MGI:3664434
Generation method: Targeted
Attributes: Conditional ready (e.g. floxed); No functional change
Marker symbol: Irf4
Marker name: interferon regulatory factor 4
Chromosome: 13
Strain of origin: 129S1/Sv-Oca2⁺ Tyr⁺ Kitl⁺
Expressed genes: GFP,Green Fluorescent Protein,
Site of expression: Cre-mediated recombination results in expression of GFP which may be used to trace tissue/cell-specific Irf4 ablation.
Molecular note: A targeting construct was designed to insert an frt-EGFP-loxP sequence upstream of exon 1 and a loxP-PGK-frt downstream of exon 2 such that cre mediated excision would remove the exons while allowing EGFP expression and, alternatively, FLP-mediated excision would remove both the exons and the EGFP.