B6.129S2(Cg)-Dcn^tm1.2Geno/AecmJ

Stock number: 027672
Product name: Dcn KO
Research areas: Developmental Biology Research, Sensorineural Research

Description

Dcn KO mice lack exon 8 of the decorin (Dcn) gene making them useful for studying the structural role of decorin in connective tissues and the corneal stroma.

Detailed description

Dcn KO mutant mice lack exon 8 of the decorin (Dcn) gene. Mice that are homozygous for this allele are viable and fertile. Decorin is a small leucine-rich matrix proteoglycan that participates structurally in the spacing of collagen fibrils by maintaining appropriate interfibrillar distance and regulates lateral growth of the fibril. Decorin plays a role in matrix assembly, cell proliferation and in extracellular signaling. Mutations in decorin are associated with autosomal dominant congenital stromal corneal dystrophy (CSCD). This disorder is characterized by the presence of small opacities in the corneal stroma, likely from deposits of decorin. In these mice, no decorin protein is expressed.

Development

A targeting vector was designed to insert a loxP site upstream of exon 8, and a frt-flanked neomycin resistance (neo) cassette followed by a second loxP site downstream of exon 8 of the decorin (Dcn) gene. Exon 8 also contained a 952delT mutation that corresponds to the 967delT human mutation associated with autosomal dominant congenital stromal corneal dystrophy (CSCD). The construct was electroporated into 129Sv/Pas embryonic stem (ES) cells. Correctly targeted ES cells were injected into C57BL/6J blastocysts and resulting chimeric males were with Flp transgenic mice on a C57BL/6J background to delete the neo cassette, and progeny were crossed to remove the Flp-expressing transgene. These mice were subsequently bred to Cre expressing mice on a C57BL/6J background to remove the floxed exon 8, and progeny were crossed to remove the Cre-expressing transgene. Dcn KO mice were bred to C57BL/6JBomTac mice for at least 10 generations. Upon arrival, mice were bred to C57BL/6J inbred mice (Stock No. 000664) for at least one generation to establish the colony.

Allele

Symbol: Dcn^tm1.2Geno
Name: targeted mutation 1.2, Genoway
MGI accession ID: MGI:5660397
Generation method: Targeted
Attributes: Null/Knockout
Marker symbol: Dcn
Marker name: decorin
Chromosome: 10
Strain of origin: 129S2/SvPas
Molecular note: The targeting vector is designed to insert a loxP site upstream of exon 8, and a FRT-flanked neomycin resistance cassette followed by a second loxP site downstream of exon 8. Exon 8 also contains a 952delT mutation that corresponds to the 967delT human mutation associated with autosomal dominant congenital stromal corneal dystrophy (CSCD). Flp-mediated recombination removed the FRT-flanked neo cassette and cre-mediated recombination removed exon 8.