FVB.129(B6)-Slc44a2^tm1.1Tec/J

Stock number: 028671
Product name: Slc44a2^flox
Research areas: Neurobiology Research, Research Tools, Sensorineural Research

Description

These floxed mutant mice possess loxP sites flanking exons 3 through 10 of the Slc44a2 gene, also known as Ctl2. This strain may be useful for generating conditional mutations in applications related to cochlear hair cell survival and antibody-induced hearing loss.

Detailed description

These mice possess loxP sites flanking exons 3 through 10 of the targeted Slc44a2 gene. Solute carrier family 44, member 2, also known as choline transporter-like protein 2, encoded by the Slc44a2 gene, is a transmembrane glycoprotein that plays a role in auditory hair cell survival and is associated with antibody-induced hearing loss. Mice that are homozygous for this allele are viable and fertile. When these mutant mice are bred to mice that express Cre recombinase, resulting offspring will have exons 3 through 10 deleted in the cre-expressing tissues. Removal of the floxed sequence creates a null allele. The FVB/NJ genetic background confers resistance to age-related hearing loss.

When bred to a strain with germ line Cre recombinase expression (see Stock No. 003724 for example) knock-out mice will be produced, which may be useful in studies of cochlear hair cell survival and antibody-induced hearing loss.

Development

A targeting vector containing a FRT site flanked PGK-Neo selection cassette followed by a loxP site was utilized in the construction of this mutant. This selection cassette was inserted upstream of exon 3 of the targeted gene, and another loxP site was inserted upstream of exon 10. This construct was electroporated into (129X1/SvJ x 129S1/Sv)F1-Kitl⁺-derived R1 embryonic stem (ES) cells. Correctly targeted ES cells were injected into blastocysts. Resulting chimeric male animals were crossed to wildtype C57BL/6 mice. The Slc44a2^neo mice were crossed to Tg(ACTFLPe)9205Dym transgenic mice expressing FLP recombinase under the control of the human ACTB promoter to remove the FRT site flanked NEO cassette. Mice that retained the loxP site flanked exons 3-10, and no longer contained the selection cassette, were then bred to FVB/NJ mice to remove the FLP allele/transgene. The mice were backcrossed to FVB/NJ for 7 generations. Homozygous male mice were crossed with female wildtype FVB/NJ mice to generate embryos for cryopreservation. Upon arrival, to establish our live colony, cryopreserved embryos were recovered.

Allele

Symbol: Slc44a2^tm1.1Tec
Name: targeted mutation 1.1, Thomas E Carey
MGI accession ID: MGI:5828929
Generation method: Targeted
Attributes: Conditional ready (e.g. floxed)
Marker symbol: Slc44a2
Marker name: solute carrier family 44, member 2
Chromosome: 9
Strain of origin: (129X1/SvJ x 129S1/Sv)F1-Kitl⁺
Molecular note: A targeting vector containing an FRT-flanked PGK-Neo selection cassette followed by a loxP site inserted upstream of exon 3 and another loxP site was inserted downstream of exon 10. Flp-mediated recombination removed the FRT-flanked neo cassette leaving exons 3 through 10 floxed.