These Nanog-creER transgenic mice express a tamoxifen-inducible (Esr1*) Cre recombinase driven by the mouse Nanog (chemokine (Nanog homeobox) promoter. NANOG is a transcription factor normally expressed in embryonic stem cells (ESCs) and functions as a key factor in maintaining pluripotency. The transgene insert contains a fusion product involving Cre recombinase and a mutant form of the mouse estrogen receptor ligand binding domain. The mutant estrogen receptor does not bind with natural ligand at physiological concentrations but will bind the synthetic ligand, 4-hydroxytamoxifen (4-OHT). Restricted to the cytoplasm, the Cre/Esr1* protein can only gain access to the nuclear compartment after exposure to 4-OHT, a metabolite of tamoxifen. When crossed with a strain containing loxP sites flanking the sequence of interest, the offspring are useful for generating tamoxifen-induced, Cre-mediated targeted gene deletions in Nanog-expressing cells. The Donating Investigator reports that homozygous mutant mice are viable (fertility has not been assessed). Mice hemizygous for the transgene are viable and fertile, but produce less than the expected number of carriers in a hemizygote x wild type mating (20% rather than 50%). When combined with a reporter such as B6.Cg-Gt(ROSA)26Sortm14(CAG-tdTomato)Hze/J (Stock No. <a href="https://www.jax.org/strain/007914"">007914</a>), this strain may be useful for in vivo lineage tracing by direct visualization. Expression of the Tomato reporter marks Nanog-positive cells and all their progeny even if they no longer express Nanog.

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Nanog-creER transgenic mice express a tamoxifen-inducible (Esr1*) Cre recombinase directed by mouse Nanog (Nanog homeobox) promoter elements. When induced, Cre recombinase activity is observed in embryonic stem cells. This strain may be useful for in vivo lineage tracing.

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