STOCK Pou4f2^tm1(cre)Bnt/J

Stock number: 030357
Product name: Pou4f2^Cre
Research areas: Neurobiology Research, Research Tools

Description

This knock-in/knock-out strain expresses cre recombinase from the Pou4f2 promoter. Homozygosity results in a reduction in retinal ganglion cells (RGCs). Cre expression is observed in the retina, brain, intestines, heart, and gonads. Males carrying both this Pou4f2^Cre allele and a floxed region of interest produce progeny that exhibit a widespread pattern of germline expression in all tissues tested.

Detailed description

Pou4f2 (POU domain, class 4, transcription factor 2; also called Brn3b) is expressed in a large subset of retinal ganglion cells (RGCs) and is essential in RGC differentiation, survival, and axon path-finding.

IRES-cre was fused to exon 1 of the mouse Pou4f2 gene to create these Pou4f2^Cre knock-in/knock-out mice. Homozygous animals demonstrate a lack of Pou4f2 immunoreactivity in the retina and a reduction in RGCs (as assayed with an antibody to the homologous protein POU4F1).

When male or female Pou4f2^Cre mice are crossed with animals carrying a loxP-flanked sequence of interest, Cre-mediated excision of the floxed region occurs in the retina, brain (optic tract, hippocampus, cortex), intestines, heart, and gonads (ovary and testes). Also see below for germline Cre expression in Cre;floxed double mutant males.

In the retina, Cre efficiently targets recombination in neurons within the RGC layer (RGL), the inner nuclear layer (INL), and a small percentage of photoreceptors. Unlike most other Cre lines active in the inner retina, recombination in Müller cells and other glia is not observed. Within the visual centers of the brain, Cre targets recombination in about 15% of cells within the superchiasmatic nucleus, lateral geniculate nucleus, and superior colliculus.

Simmons et al. 2016 Mol Vis. 22:705 reports that Pou4f2^Cre;floxed double mutant males bred to wildtype females produced offspring with germline deletion of the floxed allele, regardless of whether the pups inherit the Pou4f2^Cre allele. When Pou4f2^Cre mice (both sexes) are crossed with Ai9 red fluorescent protein (RFP) reporter mice (see Stock No. 007909), fluorescence has been detected in all examined tissues (retina, the optic tract, hippocampus, cortex, intestine, heart, testis, ovary, lung, liver, pancreas, skeletal muscle, kidney, and ear punches), but was not widespread.

If the recombinase activity pattern of this allele is further characterized by the Genetic Resource Science group at The Jackson Laboratory, such findings will be reported on the Mouse Genome Informatics (MGI) Allele Detail entry. This same information may also be found searching the MGI Recombinase Activity and MGI Gene Expression + Recombinase Activity Comparison Matrix.

Development

An internal ribosome entry site (IRES)-cre was fused to exon 1, disrupting the mouse Pou4f2 gene. A neomcyin cassette, in reverse transcriptional orientation, was placed downstream. This strain was created by homologous recombination in an unknown embryonic stem cell line. This strain was maintained on a mix of C57BL/6J, C3H/HeJ, and 129 and subsequently backcrossed to C57BL/6 by the donating laboratory. Mice carry the Pde6b wildtype allele.

Allele

Symbol: Pou4f2^tm1(cre)Bnt
Name: targeted mutation 1, Vann Bennett
MGI accession ID: MGI:5829570
Generation method: Targeted
Attributes: Recombinase-expressing
Marker symbol: Pou4f2
Marker name: POU domain, class 4, transcription factor 2
Marker synonyms: BRN3.2; Brn-3.2; Brn3b; Brn-3B; mBrn3-3R; Pou4f-rs1
Chromosome: 8
Strain of origin: Not Specified
Expressed genes: cre,cre recombinase,bacteriophage P1
Site of expression: When Pou4f2Cre mice are crossed with animals carrying a loxP-flanked sequence of interest, cre-mediated excision of the floxed region occurs in the retina, brain (optic tract, hippocampus, cortex), intestines, heart, and gonads (ovary and testes).
Molecular note: An internal ribosome entry site (IRES)-cre was fused to exon 1, disrupting the mouse Pou4f2 gene. A neomcyin cassette, in reverse transcriptional orientation, was placed downstream.