STOCK Tg(Prox1-tdTomato)12Nrud/J

Stock number: 022766
Product name: ProxTom
Research areas: Research Tools

Description

ProxTom transgenic mice are available on a better breeding, more mixed genetic background (Stock No. 018128). 

 

Transgenic mice exhibit brightly fluorescent lymphatic vessels as tdTomato is expressed under the direction of a Prox1 promoter. Fluorescence is also observed in the adult liver, lens, dentate gyrus, neuroendocrine cells of the adrenal medulla, megakaryocytes, and platelets.

 

Detailed description

ProxTom transgenic mice express a red fluorescent protein, tdTomato under the direction of a Prox1 promoter. Prox1 encodes a transcription factor (prospero-related homeobox 1) that is necessary for the formation and maintenance of lymphatic vessels. The tdTomato fluorescent protein can be detected in the lymphatic vessels, adult liver, lens, and dentate gyrus. Expression of Prox1-driven tdTomato is also evident in three novel sites including the neuroendocrine cells of the adrenal medulla, megakaryocytes, and platelets. With the insertion of tdTomato upstream of the Prox1 nuclear localization sequence, fluorescence is seen only in the cytoplasm of cells. These mice may be useful in applications involving diseases associated with the lymphatic system including lymphedema, filariasis, transplant rejection, obesity, and tumor metastasis.

ProxTom mice are also available on a better breeding, mixed genetic background (Stock No. 018128).

Development

A bacterial artificial chromosome (BAC), RPCI23-385H16, was used to isolate 144kb sequence containing the entire mouse Prox1 (prospero-related homeobox 1) gene. A 144kb portion of this BAC, containing only Prox1, was modified to include a red fluorescent protein, tdTomato, from the pClasper vector, between amino acid 5 and the Prox1 nuclear localization sequence. This construct was microinjected into fertilized C57BL/6J oocytes. Mice from founder line 12, containing 10 copies of the transgene, were bred to C57BL/6J mice to establish a colony of ProxTom mice. Upon arrival at The Jackson Laboratory, transgenic mice were bred to C57BL/6J mice (Stock No. 000664) to establish a colony.

A 48 SNP (single nucleotide polymorphism) panel analysis, with 43 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. Six of the 27 markers throughout the genome were segregating with an unknown strain.