Targeted insertion of an IRES Cre into the Hnf4alpha locus: Cre-mediated recombination in the liver, kidney, and gut epithelium.
The Hnf4alpha gene belongs to a family of trancriptional regulators required for liver development and function. Hnf4alpha is also expressed in other tissues, including the newly formed visceral endoderm of the early postimplantation embryo, and later in embryogenesis in the gut epithelium and the kidney. The regulatory sequences involved in controlling expression of Hnf4alpha at these diverse sites are not clearly understood. Here we used homologous recombination to introduce Cre recombinase coding sequences into the endogenous Hnf4alpha locus. Crossing Hnf4alpha(Creex2/+) mice with R26R partners allowed us to follow the pattern of Cre-mediated recombination. Our results show that recombination of the reporter allele closely follows endogenous Hnf4alpha expression, but with a slight temporal delay. Thus, the Hnf4alpha(Creex2) strain should prove useful for conditionally deleting gene activity in the liver, gut epithelium, or kidney.
Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA. Stephane.Vincent@ens-lyon.fr
Stéphane D
SD
Vincent
Elizabeth J
EJ
Robertson
D000818:Animals; D003433:Crosses, Genetic; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D004064:Digestive System / Q000378:metabolism; D004848:Epithelium / Q000378:metabolism; D005697:Galactosides; D018507:Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental; D018390:Gene Targeting / Q000379:methods*; D018014:Gene Transfer Techniques; D005838:Genotype; D051557:Hepatocyte Nuclear Factor 4; D006652:Histological Techniques; D007211:Indoles; D019426:Integrases / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D007668:Kidney / Q000378:metabolism; D008099:Liver / Q000378:metabolism; D051379:Mice; D008822:Mice, Transgenic; D010750:Phosphoproteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D014157:Transcription Factors / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*
D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins; D005697:Galactosides; D051557:Hepatocyte Nuclear Factor 4; C496593:Hnf4a protein, mouse; D007211:Indoles; D010750:Phosphoproteins; D014157:Transcription Factors; C045073:Cre recombinase; D019426:Integrases; C044888:5-bromo-4-chloro-3-indolyl beta-galactoside