[HTML][HTML] Simultaneous deletion of floxed genes mediated by CaMKIIα-Cre in the brain and in male germ cells: application to conditional and conventional disruption of …

CI Choi, SP Yoon, JM Choi, SS Kim, YD Lee… - … & molecular medicine, 2014 - nature.com
CI Choi, SP Yoon, JM Choi, SS Kim, YD Lee, L Birnbaumer, H Suh-Kim
Experimental & molecular medicine, 2014nature.com
Abstract The Cre/LoxP system is a well-established approach to spatially and temporally
control genetic inactivation. The calcium/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase II alpha
subunit (CaMKIIα) promoter limits expression to specific regions of the forebrain and thus
has been utilized for the brain-specific inactivation of the genes. Here, we show that
CaMKIIα-Cre can be utilized for simultaneous inactivation of genes in the adult brain and in
male germ cells. Double transgenic Rosa26+/stop-lacZ:: CaMKIIα-Cre+/Cre mice generated …
Abstract
The Cre/LoxP system is a well-established approach to spatially and temporally control genetic inactivation. The calcium/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase II alpha subunit (CaMKIIα) promoter limits expression to specific regions of the forebrain and thus has been utilized for the brain-specific inactivation of the genes. Here, we show that CaMKIIα-Cre can be utilized for simultaneous inactivation of genes in the adult brain and in male germ cells. Double transgenic Rosa26+/stop-lacZ:: CaMKIIα-Cre+/Cre mice generated by crossing CaMKIIα-Cre+/Cre mice with floxed ROSA26 lacZ reporter (Rosa26+/stop-lacZ) mice exhibited lacZ expression in the brain and testis. When these mice were mated to wild-type females, about 27% of the offspring were whole body blue by X-gal staining without inheriting the Cre transgene. These results indicate that recombination can occur in the germ cells of male Rosa26+/stop-lacZ:: CaMKIIα-Cre+/Cre mice. Similarly, when double transgenic Gnao+/f:: CaMKIIα-Cre+/Cre mice carrying a floxed Go-alpha gene (Gnao f/f) were backcrossed to wild-type females, approximately 22% of the offspring carried the disrupted allele (Gnao Δ) without inheriting the Cre transgene. The Gnao Δ/Δ mice closely resembled conventional Go-alpha knockout mice (Gnao−/−) with respect to impairment of their behavior. Thus, we conclude that CaMKIIα-Cre mice afford recombination for both tissue-and time-controlled inactivation of floxed target genes in the brain and for their permanent disruption. This work also emphasizes that extra caution should be exercised in utilizing CaMKIIα-Cre mice as breeding pairs.
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