B6.129P2(129S4)-Ago2^tm1.1Tara/J

Stock number: 016520
Product name: Eif2c2 (Ago2) floxed
Research areas: Cell Biology Research, Hematological Research, Research Tools

Description

These mice carry a floxed allele that enables conditional inactivation of the Eif2c2 (eukaryotic translation initiation factor 2C, 2) gene. This strain may be useful in studies further characterizing the gene and its involvement with hematopoiesis and the microRNA (miRNA) pathway.

Detailed description

These mice possess loxP sites on either side of exons 9-11 in the Eif2c2 (eukaryotic translation initiation factor 2C, 2) gene, also known as Ago2. Mice that are homozygous for this floxed allele are viable, fertile, normal in size and do not display any gross physical or behavioral abnormalities. When crossed with a Cre recombinase-expressing strain, the Mid domain is deleted and Ago2 expression is lost, causing functional inactivation of the gene.

For example, when crossed to a strain expressing interferon-inducible Cre recombinase (see Stock No. 003556), this mutant mouse strain may be useful in studies of microRNA homeostasis.

Development

The targeting vector was designed to carry a loxp site in intron 8 and a neomycin-frt2-loxP site in intron 11 followed by an Frt-flanked neomycin resistance gene. The mutation was created in 129P2/OlaHsd-derived E14.1 embryonic stem (ES) cells. Resultant mice were crossed with C57BL/6 background FLP-expressing transgenic mice to excise the Frt-flanked neomycin resistance cassette, leaving exons 9-11 flanked by loxP sites. The donating investigator reports that this strain was backcrossed to C57BL/6 for 7 generations (see SNP note below).

A 32 SNP (single nucleotide polymorphism) panel analysis, with 27 markers covering all 19 chromosomes and the X chromosome, as well as 5 markers that distinguish between the C57BL/6J and C57BL/6N substrains, was performed on the rederived living colony at The Jackson Laboratory Repository. While the 27 markers throughout the genome suggested a C57BL/6 genetic background, all 5 markers that determine C57BL/6J from C57BL/6N were found to be segregating. These data suggest the mice sent to The Jackson Laboratory Repository were on a C57BL/6N genetic background.

Allele

Symbol: Ago2^tm1.1Tara
Name: targeted mutation 1.1, Alexander Tarakhovsky
MGI accession ID: MGI:4839762
Generation method: Targeted
Attributes: Conditional ready (e.g. floxed); No functional change
Marker symbol: Ago2
Marker name: argonaute RISC catalytic subunit 2
Chromosome: 15
Strain of origin: 129P2/OlaHsd
Molecular note: An FRT-flanked neo cassette with a loxP site was inserted downstream of exon 11 and an additional loxP site was inserted btween exon 8 and 9. Flp-mediated recombination removed the neo cassette leaving exons 9 through 11 floxed.