Efficient generation of single-copy transgenic mice using piggyBat transposase from the little brown bat Myotis...

Transgenic animals are invaluable tools in genetic studies, disease modeling, drug discovery, and biotechnology. However, the low efficiency of transgenic animal generation can be an obstacle to their application. Here, we report the generation of transgenic mice using PBatase, the piggyBat transposase from the little brown bat (Myotis lucifugus). PBatase exhibits detectable transposition activity in fertilized mouse eggs within a limited concentration range, although the overall activity was lower than that of PBase, the piggyBac transposase from the cabbage looper moth (Trichoplusia ni). Transgenic animals carrying low transgene copy numbers were successfully generated with high efficiency using PBatase, and the transgene was subsequently transmitted to the next generation. This technique will be useful for the generation of transgenic animals carrying single copies of a transgene.