STOCK Tg(Col1a2-cre/ERT,-ALPP)7Cpd/J

Stock number: 029235
Product name: Col1a2-CreER
Research areas: Research Tools

Description

This Col1a2 Cre-ER mutant mouse strain carries a transgene with tamoxifen inducible Cre recombinase and may be useful for generating fibroblast specific targeted mutants for studies of fibrotic diseases, wound healing and connective tissue physiology, as well as fibroblast lineage fate mapping.

Detailed description

These transgenic mice express a tamoxifen-inducible Cre recombinase driven by the mouse Col1a2, collagen, type I, alpha 2, promoter. The transgene insert contains a fusion product involving Cre recombinase and a mutant form of the mouse estrogen receptor ligand binding domain. The mutant mouse estrogen receptor does not bind natural ligand at physiological concentrations but will bind the synthetic ligand, 4-hydroxytamoxifen. Restricted to the cytoplasm, the Cre/Esr1 protein can only gain access to the nuclear compartment after exposure to tamoxifen. When crossed with a strain containing a loxP site flanked sequence, the offspring are useful for generating tamoxifen-induced, Cre-mediated targeted deletions of the flanked sequence. Tamoxifen administration in double mutant mice, carrying this transgene and a beta-galactosidase reporter, induces Cre recombination in dermal and visceral fibroblasts. The Donating Investigator reports that homozygous mice do not breed well. Hemizygous mice are viable and fertile.
Of note, The Jackson Laboratory live colony of Stock No. 029235 shows transgene carrier and noncarrier mice exhibit white belly spots [November 2019].

Col1a2-CreER transgenic mice will also be available on a C57BL/6J congenic background (Stock No. 029567).

Development

A transgenic construct containing sequence encoding cre/Esr1, an IRES segment and human placental alkaline phosphatase, under the control of the regulatory elements of the mouse Col1a2, collagen, type I, alpha 2, gene (6 kb of the upstream 5' flanking region upstream of the transcription start site and endogenous minimal promoter) was injected into fertilized B6D2F1/J mouse eggs. Founder line 7 was subsequently established. Upon arrival, sperm was cryopreserved. To establish a live colony, an aliquot of frozen sperm was used to fertilize C57BL/6J oocytes (Stock No. 000664).

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. Seven of the 27 markers throughout the genome are segregating, suggesting an incomplete backcross. Also, all 5 markers that discern C57BL/6J from C57BL/6N were found to be segregating.

Allele

Symbol: Tg(Col1a2-cre/ERT,-ALPP)7Cpd
Name: transgene insertion 7, Christopher P Denton
MGI accession ID: MGI:3785760
Generation method: Transgenic
Attributes: Recombinase-expressing; Inducible
Marker symbol: Tg(Col1a2-cre/ERT,-ALPP)7Cpd
Marker name: transgene insertion 7, Christopher P Denton
Chromosome: UN
Strain of origin: (C57BL/6 x DBA/2)F2
Expressed genes: cre/ER,cre inducible estrogen receptor,bacteriophage P1/Human
Site of expression: Col1a2 enhancer drives fibroblast-specific expression of a cre/ERT fusion followed by an IRES-human placental alkaline-phosphatase reporter.
Molecular note: The Col1a2 enhancer was used to drive fibroblast-specific expression of a cre/ERT fusion followed by an IRES-human placental alkaline-phosphatase reporter. Two lines were created (lines 7 and 8) and line 7 was used in subsequent analysis.