B6.Cg-Tg(Vil1-cre)1000Gum/J

Stock number: 021504
Product name: Vil-Cre 1000
Research areas: Research Tools

Description

These Vil1-cre mice express Cre recombinase in villus and crypt epithelial cells of the small and large intestines and may be useful in studies of intestinal organogenesis. In addition, Vil1-cre transgenic mice from founder line 1000 are reported to be absent of Cre recombinase activity in gonads.

Detailed description

Villin-cre transgenic mice have the mouse villin 1 promoter directing expression of Cre recombinase to villus and crypt epithelial cells of the small and large intestines, in a pattern that closely resembles endogenous Vil1 expression. When crossed with a strain containing a loxP site-flanked sequence of interest, Cre-mediated recombination results in tissue-specific deletion of the target. The donating investigator indicates that expression is generally continuous, but that a small amount of mosaicism is noted in the colon. Onset of transgene expression is at 12.5 dpc, which is delayed from the endogenous mouse Vil1 gene expression onset of 9.0 dpc.

Villin-cre transgenic mice from founder line 1000 (Stock No. 021504) are reported to be absent of Cre recombinase activity in gonads. This is in contrast to Villin-cre transgenic mice from founder line 997 (Stock No. 004586) that are reported to have a very low level (<1%) of cells with Cre recombinase activity in the testes.

Villin-cre transgenic mice from founder line 1000 (also called Vil1-Cre 1000, Vil-Cre 1000, Villin-Cre 1000, 12.4KbVilCre 1000 or VCre1000) are viable and fertile as hemizygotes. Homozygous Vil1-Cre 1000 mice are viable but are not healthy and die prematurely.

Development

The 12.4KbVilCre transgene was designed by Dr. Blair Madison (University of Michigan) to have the 12.4 kb fragment of the mouse villin 1 gene, the Cre recombinase coding domain and a metallothionein polyadenylation site sequence. This transgene was injected into the pronuclei of fertilized C57BL/6J x SJL/J mouse eggs. Several founder animals were bred to C57BL/6 mice for germline transmission, and founder line 1000 (also called Vil1-Cre 1000, Vil-Cre 1000, Villin-Cre 1000, 12.4KbVilCre 1000 or VCre1000) was established. The donating investigator reports that Vil1-Cre 1000 mice were subsequently backcrossed to C57BL/6 mice for at least ten generations (see SNP note below). Upon arrival at The Jackson Laboratory, the mice were crossed to C57BL/6J (Stock No. 000664) at least once to establish the colony.

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, 4 of 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 mixed C57BL/6J ; C57BL/6N genetic background.

Allele

Symbol: Tg(Vil1-cre)1000Gum
Name: transgene insertion 1000, Deborah L Gumucio
MGI accession ID: MGI:5474779
Generation method: Transgenic
Attributes: Recombinase-expressing
Synonyms: VCre1000; Vil-Cre 1000; Villin-Cre 1000
Marker symbol: Tg(Vil1-cre)1000Gum
Marker name: transgene insertion 1000, Deborah L Gumucio
Chromosome: UN
Strain of origin: C57BL/6J x SJL/J
Expressed genes: cre,cre recombinase,bacteriophage P1
Site of expression: Cre-mediated recombination occurs in villus and crypt epithelial cells of the small and large intestines, closely patterning the endogenous gene expression. Expression is generally continuous, but a small amount of mosaicism is noted in the colon.
Molecular note: A transgenic construct containing the coding domain of Cre recombinase, driven by a 12.4 kb fragment of the mouse villin 1 gene, and a metallothionein polyadenylation site sequence was injected into the pronuclei of fertilized C57BL/6J x SJL/J mouse eggs. Seven lines were generated. Founder line 1000 was subsequently established.