Tissue-specific and developmental regulation of rod opsin chimeric genes in transgenic mice.
Chimeric gene fusions between 4.4 kb of rod opsin 5' flanking sequence fused to a diphtheria toxin gene and 4.4 kb or 500 bp of rod opsin 5' flanking sequence fused to the E. coli IacZ gene were used to generate transgenic mice for analysis of cell type-specific expression and temporal and spatial distribution of reporter gene product during retinal development. Opsin-diphtheria toxin transgene expression evoked photoreceptor-specific cell death. The 4.4 kb opsin-IacZ transgene followed temporal and spatial gradients of expression that approximate opsin expression. The 500 bp opsin fragment targeted expression to photoreceptors, but expression was weaker and nonuniform, suggesting that elements located upstream may be required for enhanced and uniform spatial expression.
Lem
J
J
Division of Biology, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena 91125.
Applebury
M L
ML
Falk
J D
JD
Flannery
J G
JG
Simon
M I
MI
D000818:Animals; D002678:Chimera; D003001:Cloning, Molecular; D004167:Diphtheria Toxin / Q000235:genetics; D005136:Eye Proteins / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D005796:Genes; D005798:Genes, Bacterial; D051379:Mice; D008822:Mice, Transgenic / Q000235:genetics* / Q000254:growth & development / Q000378:metabolism; D010786:Photoreceptor Cells / Q000378:metabolism*; D011401:Promoter Regions, Genetic; D012160:Retina / Q000378:metabolism; D017299:Rod Opsins; D014018:Tissue Distribution; D001616:beta-Galactosidase / Q000235:genetics
D004167:Diphtheria Toxin; D005136:Eye Proteins; D017299:Rod Opsins; D001616:beta-Galactosidase