B6(129S4)-Mgp^{tm1.1(cre)Borr}/J

Stock number: 037522
Product name: Mgp^Cre , Mgp-Cre
Research areas: Research Tools

Description

Mgp-Cre knock-in mice express Cre recombinase from the mouse Mgp promoter in the smooth muscle cells of the arteries and the trabecular meshwork of the eye. These mice have been useful in studies of arterial calcification and glaucoma.

Detailed description

Matrix Gla protein (MGP) is a potent mineralization inhibitor secreted by cartilage chondrocytes and the vascular smooth muscle cells of the arteries. Mgp knock-out mice die at 5-6 weeks due to massive arterial calcification. Arterial calcification results in arterial stiffness and higher systolic blood pressure. MGP is highly abundant in trabecular meshwork (TM) of the eye and tissue stiffness is relevant to glaucoma.

These Mgp-Cre knock-in mice express Cre recombinase from the mouse Mgp promoter and all Mgp internal regulatory sequences to excise loxP-flanked sequences in Mgp-expressing cells/tissues of interest. Crb1^rd8, a recessive mutation conferring retinal degeneration, has been bred out of this strain through backcrosses to C57BL/6J (Stock No. 000664).

Crosses with lacZ (Stock No. 003474) and tdTomato (Stock No. 007908) reporter lines have created models useful in studies of gene expression in eye tissues.

Development

An IRES-Cre-FRT-neomycin-FRT cassette was introduced between the Mgp STOP signal in exon 4 and the 3’UTR via homologous recombination in C57BL/6NTac-derived PRX-B6N embryonic stem (ES) cells. The neomycin cassette was excised from resultant mice through crosses with FLP deleter mice (Stock No. 009086). Mice were then backcrossed to C57BL/6J (Stock No. 000664) for one generation to remove the Flp allele and the Crb1^rd8 (retinal degeneration 8) mutation.

Upon arrival at The Jackson Laboratory, sperm was cryopreserved. Cryorecovery/live colony development will involve C57BL/6J (Stock No. 000664).

Allele

Symbol: Mgp^{tm1.1(cre)Borr}
Name: targeted mutation 1.1, Teresa Borras
MGI accession ID: MGI:6117343
Generation method: Targeted
Attributes: Recombinase-expressing
Synonyms: Mgp-Cre
Marker symbol: Mgp
Marker name: matrix Gla protein
Marker synonyms: GIG36; MGLAP; NTI
Chromosome: 6
Strain of origin: C57BL/6NTac
Molecular note: The targeting vector was generated by inserting IRES-Cre-FRT-flanked PGK-Neo into BAC RP23-108P5 clone containing mouse Mgp DNA fragment of 8.3 kb following endogenous stop codon. Targeted construct was introduced into ES cells to generate chimera founders. Resulting positive offspring were crossed with a flp deleter line to excise the neomycin resistance gene.