One-step generation of multiple transgenic mouse lines using an improved Pronuclear Injection-based Targeted Transgenesis (i-PITT)

Background

The pronuclear injection (PI) is the simplest and widely used method to generate transgenic (Tg) mice. Unfortunately, PI-based Tg mice show uncertain transgene expression due to random transgene insertion in the genome, usually with multiple copies. Thus, typically at least three or more Tg lines are produced by injecting over 200 zygotes and the best line/s among them are selected through laborious screening steps. Recently, we developed technologies using Cre-loxP system that allow targeted insertion of single-copy transgene into a predetermined locus through PI. We termed the method as PI-based Targeted Transgenesis (PITT). A similar method using PhiC31-attP/B system was reported subsequently.

Results

Here, we developed an improved-PITT (i-PITT) method by combining Cre-loxP, PhiC31-attP/B and FLP-FRT systems directly under C57BL/6N inbred strain, unlike the mixed strain used in previous reports. The targeted Tg efficiency in the i-PITT typically ranged from 10 to 30%, with 47 and 62% in two of the sessions, which is by-far the best Tg rate reported. Furthermore, the system could generate multiple Tg mice simultaneously. We demonstrate that injection of up to three different Tg cassettes in a single injection session into as less as 181 zygotes resulted in production of all three separate Tg DNA containing targeted Tg mice.

Conclusions

The i-PITT system offers several advantages compared to previous methods: multiplexing capability (i-PITT is the only targeted-transgenic method that is proven to generate multiple different transgenic lines simultaneously), very high efficiency of targeted-transgenesis (up to 62%), significantly reduces animal numbers in mouse-transgenesis and the system is developed under C57BL/6N strain, the most commonly used pure genetic background. Further, the i-PITT system is freely accessible to scientific community.

Electronic supplementary material

The online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s12864-015-1432-5) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.     

棕色田鼠睾丸及附睾胚后发育的形态学变化

通过组织学方法,对产后1 d、10 d、25 d、45 d、60 d及70 d的棕色田鼠Lasiopodomys mandarinus睾丸和附睾发育进行了观察,以探讨其精子发生特点.结果 发现,1 d棕色田鼠的生殖细胞主要是生殖母细胞和前精原细胞;10 d出现大量精原细胞,睾丸间质细胞明显;25 d出现精子细胞;45 d有少量精子出现;60 d和70 d具有各级生精细胞,睾丸生精小管和附睾内出现大量成熟精子.睾丸生精小管管径和生精上皮厚度随日龄增加,于60 d达到最大;附睾管腔直径和附睾上皮厚度也于60 d达到最大.这些结果表明,棕色田鼠在生后45 d左右进入青春期,60 d左右达到性成熟,精子的产生及成熟与附睾的发育同步.     

Characterization of epididymal sperm from Spix's yellow‐toothed cavies (Galea spixii Wagler, 1831) recovered by different methods

The aim of the present study was to characterize the epididymal sperm of Spix's yellow‐toothed cavy (Galea spixii) through two different recovery methods. Nine sexually mature males were euthanized and the complexes, testes–epididymis, were dissected. For each animal, one epididymis was processed by flotation method and the other was processed by retrograde flushing method, both using a TES‐based buffered media. After recovery, we evaluated the sperm for motility, vigour, viability, functional membrane integrity and morphology. Morphometric data from the different sperm regions were evaluated by using an appropriate software. After recovery, both methods provide similar values for all the sperm parameters, aiming the recovery of more than 300 × 10⁶ sperm, presenting >50% motile sperm, with normal morphology and functional membrane. The total sperm length in this sperm was 48.87 ± 0.1, and the sperm head presented 9.4%, on average. A notable characteristic was the prominent acrosome found in the G. spixii sperm. In conclusion, we demonstrate that either flotation or retrograde flushing methods are suitable for the recovery of sperm from cauda epididymis of Spix's yellow‐toothed cavies.