B6;FVB-Tg(MMTV-luc2)3Mgal/J

Stock number: 027827
Product name: MMTV-Luc2
Research areas: Research Tools

Description

MMTV-Luc2 transgenic mice express luciferase in mammary tissue. In conjunction with models of breast cancer development, these mice are useful for visualization and longitudinal monitoring of mammary tumor development.

Detailed description

MMTV-Luc2 transgenic mice have the mouse mammary tumor virus (MMTV) long terminal repeat upstream of a cDNA sequence encoding an enhanced firefly luciferase protein, luc2. Homozygotes are viable and fertile. Under control of MMTV, luciferase labels mammary glands and salivary glands, which is visible using the luminescence based non-invasive in vivo imaging techniques. Lower signal is also detected from the spleen, lungs, thymus, liver, kidneys and intestine. The donating investigator reports that the transgene may have integrated on the X Chromosome.

When bred to FVB/N-Tg(MMTV-PyVT)634Mul/J transgenic mice (Stock No. 002374), which develop palpable mammary tumors, all resulting MMTV-Luc2PyVT double transgenic females develop mammary tumors by the age of 10 weeks, the localization and progression of which could be effectively monitored using the luminescence based in vivo imaging.

Development

The MMTV-Luc2 transgene was designed with an enhanced firefly luciferase, luc2, driven by the mouse mammary tumor virus (MMTV) long terminal repeat, followed by an SV40 polyadenylation site. The transgene was microinjected into fertilized FVB oocytes and mice from founder line 3, that likely integrated on the X Chromosome, were bred to FVB/NCrl mice to establish a colony. Subsequently, these mice were bred to C57Bl/6 mice for 2 generations. Upon arrival at The Jackson Laboratory, transgenic mice were bred to C57BL/6J inbred mice (Stock No. 000664) to establish the colony.

Allele

Symbol: Tg(MMTV-luc2)3Mgal
Name: transgene insertion 3, William Gallagher
MGI accession ID: MGI:5696975
Generation method: Transgenic
Attributes: Reporter
Synonyms: MMTV-luc2
Marker symbol: Tg(MMTV-luc2)3Mgal
Marker name: transgene insertion 3, William Gallagher
Chromosome: UN
Strain of origin: FVB/N
Expressed genes: luc,luciferase,firefly
Site of expression: Mammary tissue.
Molecular note: The transgenic construct was designed with an enhanced firefly luciferase, luc2, under the direction of the mouse mammary tumor virus (MMTV) long terminal repeat, followed by an SV40 polyadenylation site.