Generation of the tamoxifen-inducible DBH-Cre transgenic mouse line DBH-CT

We generated transgenic mice bearing a tamoxifen-dependent Cre recombinase expressed under the control of the dopamine-β-hydroxylase promoter. By crossing to the ROSA26 reporter mice we show that tamoxifen-induced Cre recombinase in adult mice specifically activates β-galactosidase expression in differentiated noradrenergic neurons of the central and peripheral nervous system. Tamoxifen application in adult mice did not induce β-galactosidase activity in parasympathetic neurons that transiently express DBH during development. Thus, this transgenic mouse line represents a valuable tool to study gene function in mature noradrenergic neurons by conditional inactivation.     

特异性检测胰腺组织表达Cre重组酶转基因小鼠的方法

利用组织特异性分子标志物启动子调控Cre重组酶,研制了6种在不同组织中特异性表达Cre重组酶的转基因小鼠.这些转基因小鼠的基因型鉴定均使用设计在Cre基因编码区的通用引物.为了特异性检测胰腺组织表达Cre重组酶的转基因小鼠,在大鼠胰岛素RIP启动子上和Cre基因上设计1对引物进行PCR扩增,并通过凝胶电泳进行分析.PCR结果显示,设计在Cre基因上的通用引物可以从6种不同组织特异性Cre重组酶转基因小鼠基因组DNA中扩增获得480 bp产物;利用本研究设计的特异性引物可以从胰腺组织表达Cre重组酶转基因小鼠基因组DNA中扩增200 bp的目的条带.这一结果表明,利用特异性引物进行PCR反应,可有效地将胰腺组织表达Cre重组酶转基因小鼠与其他多种组织的Cm重组酶转基因小鼠鉴别开来.     

Cre重组酶表达载体的构建及其在转基因小鼠胰腺中的表达

组织特异性表达Cre重组酶的转基因小鼠是进行组织特异性条件敲除研究的关键。采用PCR扩增大鼠胰岛素基因705bp启动子指导发胰岛细胞中特异表达;同时采用改构的Cre重组酶基因,在其5'端添加有真核核糖体结合序列和核定位序列使Cre重组酶能穿越核膜在细胞核能发挥功能;同时,为了保证原核基因Cre能在真核系统顺利表达,在其3'端添加含内含子的人生长激素基因。构建的表达载体在去除原核序列后用显微注射方法转基因小鼠,在出生的27只仔鼠中,PCR检测共获得7只Cre整合阳性的转基因小鼠,整合率26％。这种Cre转基因小鼠与基因组小携带LoxP位点的条件基因打靶小鼠交配,在胰腺组织中可以检测到Cre介导的重组,表明Cre在转基因小鼠胰腺中有表达。     

胰腺组织表达Cre重组酶转基因小鼠的建立及鉴定

组织特异性表达Cre重组酶的转基因小鼠是进行组织特异性基因剔除研究的重要工具。为了建立胰腺组织特异性Cre转基因小鼠,我们通过PCR克隆了大鼠胰岛素基因启动子,并用它指导Cre基因在胰岛细胞中的特异性表达。在Cre重组酶基因5′端添加了真核核糖体结合序列和核定位序列以使Cre重组酶能穿越核膜在细胞核中发挥功能;同时,在Cre基因3′端添加了含内含子的3′端人生长激素基因。表达载体经显微注射导入小鼠受精卵以建立转基因小鼠。PCR检测显示共获得7只Cre整合阳性的转基因首建者小鼠;RTPCR结果表明其中1只首建者小鼠的子代鼠在胰腺中转录了外源基因,进一步的Southern杂交结果表明,该转基因小鼠能够在胰腺中表达有功能的Cre重组酶。     

SHORT COMMUNICATION: Double pronuclei injection of DNA into zygotes increases yields of transgenic mouse lines

Transgenic mice are increasingly used for gene function and regulation studies of mammalian genes. A major limitation is the necessity to produce a large number of founder animals to obtain one line with the desired expression pattern. We developed a method, the 'double pronuclei injection', that doubles the yield of transgenic mouse lines obtained from each injection session, thereby reducing the time, effort and costs of generating transgenic mice. Three transgenic vectors were microinjected into the male and female pronuclei of zygotes. Approximately half of the resulting born mice were transgenic. This represented a 60% increase in the yield of founders per injected zygote, and a 100% increase in the yield of transgenic mice per born animal, when compared to yields obtained using single pronucleus injection. This method should prove useful for generating large numbers of transgenic mice for gene regulation studies and for conditional gene ablation     

配体依赖性Cre重组酶在培养肝细胞中介导条件性基因激活

嵌合性Cre重组酶与肝组织特异性调控区的结合使其在肝细胞上介导的条件性基因激活成为可能。为此 ,首先构建了在小鼠白蛋白基因调控区调控下的Cre ERt表达载体 (Alb Cre ERt) ,然后将其构件分别转染工程化的BRL(大鼠肝细胞 )和BRK(大鼠肾细胞 )细胞株 ,这些细胞携带的floxed βgeo框架位于启动子与人碱性磷酸酶基因 (hAP)之间 ,因而阻碍hAP表达。用 1μmol/L 4 羟基三苯氧胺 (4 hydroxytamoxifen ,4 OHT)处理后 ,经碱性磷酸酶染色 ,部分BRL细胞显示碱性磷酸酶染色阳性 ;用PCR方法证实Cre重组酶介导了floxed βgeo框架的切除。然而 ,在未用 4 OHT处理的BRL细胞未观察到碱性磷酸酶染色阳性细胞 ,在用 4 OHT处理或未处理的BRK细胞同样未观察到碱性磷酸酶染色阳性细胞。这些结果表明已成功构建肝细胞特异表达Alb Cre ERt载体 ,并在表达Cre融合蛋白的BRL细胞证实 4 OHT能够诱导Cre介导的DNA重组 ,从而激活碱性磷酸酶报告基因的表达。该研究将为进一步建立肝细胞特异表达Cre ERt转基因小鼠奠定基础。