Removal of an Internal Translational Start Site from mRNA While Retaining Expression of the Full-Length Protein

The CRISPR-Cas9 gene-editing system, based on genome repair mechanisms, enables the generation of gene-modified mouse models more quickly and easily relative to traditional homologous recombination. The CRISPR-Cas9 system is particularly attractive when a single-point mutation is desired. The gap junction protein, Connexin 43 (Cx43), is encoded by gene Gja1, which has a single coding exon and cannot be spliced. However, Gja1 produces not only full-length Cx43 protein but up to six N-terminus truncated isoforms by a process known as internal translation, the result of ribosomal translation initiation at internal AUG (Methionine) start sites. GJA1-20k is the most commonly generated truncated isoform of Cx43 initiated at the AUG codon at position 213 of Gja1 mRNA. Because residue 213 occurs at the end of the last transmembrane domain of Cx43, GJA1-20k is effectively the 20 kDa C-terminus tail of Cx43 as an independent protein. Previous investigators identified, in cells, that a critical role of GJA1-20k is to facilitate trafficking of full-length Cx43 gap junction hemichannels to the plasma membrane. To examine this phenomenon in vivo, a mutant mouse with a Gja1 point-mutation was generated that replaces the ATG (Methionine) at residue 213 with TTA (Leucine, M213L mutation). The result of M213L is that Gja1 mRNA and full-length Cx43 are still generated, yet the translation of Gja1-20k is significantly reduced. This report focuses on choosing the restriction enzyme site to develop a one amino acid mutated (Gja1^M213L/M213L) mouse model. This protocol describes genetically modified mice by the CRISPR-Cas9 system and rapid genotyping by combining PCR and restriction enzyme treatments.