STOCK Tafa4^{em1.1(cre/ERT2)Ddg}/J

Stock number: 039843
Product name: Tafa4^CreER
Research areas: Neurobiology Research, Research Tools, Sensorineural Research

Description

Tafa4^CreER knock-in/knock-out mice carry a targeted insertion of tamoxifen-inducible cre recombinase (CreERT2) expressed from the mouse Tafa4 promoter in Tafa4-expressing cells. This strain has been useful in studies of C-low threshold mechanoreceptors (C-LTMRs).

Detailed description

The C-low threshold mechanoreceptor (C-LTMR)-spinoparabrachial pathway contributes to mechanically-evoked wet dog shakes. C-LTMRs innervate hairy skin and respond to low threshold punctate indentations and brush stimuli. Tafa4 (TAFA chemokine like family member 4, also called Fam19a4) is a marker of C-LTMRs. TAFA4 protein has been implicated as an analgesic agent for pain relief and in promoting macrophage-mediated tissue repair functions.

Tafa4^CreER knock-in/knock-out mice carry a targeted insertion of tamoxifen-inducible cre recombinase (CreERT2) expressed from the mouse Tafa4 promoter in Tafa4-expressing cells. Mice show no overt phenotype and homozygotes are viable and fertile.

Crosses with R26^eGFP-DTA mice (B6.129S6(Cg)-Gt(ROSA)26Sor^tm1(DTA)Jpmb/J; Stock No. 032087) enable the conditional ablation of C-LTMRs through tamoxifen-inducible expression of diphtheria toxin fragment A (DTA). A reduction (~50%) in oil droplet-evoked wet dog shakes in the compound mutant mice is observed compared to controls.

Development

Exon 4 of the mouse Tafa4 (Fam19a4; NM_177233.5) gene was replaced with T2A-CreER-WPRE-bGH pA-FRT-PKG-EM7-NeoR/KanR-bGH pA-FRT cassette via CRISPR-based homologous recombination in 129S6/SvEvTac-derived embryonic stem (ES) cells. Resultant mice were crossed with a germline FlpE strain (Stock No. 003800) to excise the neomycin cassette, then backcrossed to C57BL/6J for at least 2 generations by the donating laboratory. 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).

Quality control assessment of this strain (July, 2025) suggests that the FRT-flanked neomycin cassette, segregating with CreER, is retained.

Allele

Symbol: Tafa4^{em1.1(cre/ERT2)Ddg}
Name: endonuclease-mediated mutation 1.1, David D Ginty
MGI accession ID: MGI:7709672
Generation method: Endonuclease-mediated
Attributes: Recombinase-expressing; Inducible
Synonyms: Tafa4^CreER; Tafa4^T2a-CreER
Marker symbol: Tafa4
Marker name: TAFA chemokine like family member 4
Marker synonyms: C130034I18Rik; FAM19A4; TAFA-4
Chromosome: 6
Strain of origin: 129S6/SvEvTac
Molecular note: Using the CRISPR-based homologous recombination technique, the exon 4 of the mouse Tafa4 gene was replaced with T2A-CreER followed by FRT flanked neo selection cassette in 129S6/SvEvTac-derived embryonic stem (ES) cells. The neo-selection cassette was removed by mating to a germline FlpE strain.