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Transposon-mediated mutagenesis of somatic cells in the mouse for cancer gene identification

David A Largaespada1

  • 1Masonic Cancer Center University of Minnesota, Department of Genetics, Arnold and Mabel Beckman Center for Genome Engineering, 6-160 Jackson Hall, 321 Church Street SE, Minneapolis, MN 55455, USA. larga002@umn.edu

Methods (San Diego, Calif.)
|July 18, 2009
PubMed

Insights

Researchers developed a Sleeping Beauty (SB) transposon system for forward genetic screens in mice to discover cancer genes. This method enables cancer gene discovery in tissues previously inaccessible to such screens.

Area of Science:

  • Genetics
  • Cancer Biology
  • Molecular Biology

Background:

  • Understanding cancer requires detailed knowledge of altered genes and pathways in individual cases.
  • Forward genetic screens in model organisms are crucial for discovering cancer gene candidates.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To develop and describe a novel method for unbiased forward genetic screens for cancer gene discovery.
  • To utilize the Sleeping Beauty (SB) transposon system for cancer gene identification in mice.

Main Methods:

  • Development of a "cut-and-paste" DNA transposon system, Sleeping Beauty (SB).
  • Deployment of SB-based forward genetic screens in mouse models.
  • Application of the method in tissues like the gastrointestinal tract, brain, and liver.

Main Results:

  • The SB system enables forward genetic screens for cancer genes in mice.
  • This approach expands the scope of forward genetic screens to previously inaccessible tissues.

Conclusions:

  • The Sleeping Beauty transposon system is a powerful tool for cancer gene discovery.
  • This method offers new possibilities for understanding cancer development in diverse tissues.

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