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A Cre recombinase transgene with mosaic, widespread tamoxifen-inducible action

Caiying Guo1, Wenyi Yang, Corrinne G Lobe

  • 1Molecular and Cellular Biology Research, Sunnybrook and Women's College Health Science Centre, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.

Genesis (New York, N.Y. : 2000)
|February 9, 2002
PubMed

Insights

We developed tamoxifen-inducible Cre transgenic mice for conditional gene manipulation. These mice show efficient, mosaic recombination in embryos and adult tissues after tamoxifen administration.

Area of Science:

  • Genetics and Genomics
  • Developmental Biology
  • Molecular Biology

Background:

  • Cre-mediated recombination is crucial for conditional gene expression and knockout studies in mice.
  • Inducible Cre systems enable temporal control, overcoming embryonic lethality and allowing study of later phenotypes.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To generate and characterize novel tamoxifen-inducible Cre transgenic mouse lines.
  • To achieve widespread, mosaic Cre-mediated recombination in a controllable manner.
  • To validate the efficiency and pattern of recombination in embryonic and adult tissues.

Main Methods:

  • Generation of Cre transgenic mice with tamoxifen-inducible excision.
  • Utilized a Cre excision reporter system and embryonic stem (ES) cell screening.
  • Tested CreER transgenic lines with Z/AP and Z/EG Cre reporter lines in mice.

Main Results:

  • Identified ES cell clones with no background Cre activity but efficient tamoxifen-induced excision.
  • Maximal Cre excision observed in midgestation embryos within 2 days of tamoxifen administration (5-10% efficiency).
  • Reporter gene expression indicated cell expansion and maintained excision proportion by day 3; recombination observed in all adult tissues.

Conclusions:

  • Successfully developed tamoxifen-inducible Cre transgenic mice enabling mosaic recombination.
  • Demonstrated efficient and widespread Cre excision in both embryonic and adult tissues.
  • These mouse lines provide a valuable tool for conditional gene manipulation in developmental and adult biology.

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