FVB.129P2-Pde6b(+) Tyr(c-ch)/Ant, a sighted variant of the FVB/N mouse strain suitable for behavioral analysis.
Mice of the FVB/N strain are severely visual impaired as a result of tyrosinase gene defects, leading to a deficiency of the key enzyme for melanin synthesis in skin and eye and of cyclic guanosine monophosphate phosphodiesterase gene defects, which results in albinism (Tyr(c/c)) and retinal degeneration (Pde6b(rd1/rd1)), respectively. Nevertheless, FVB/N mice are commonly used for the generation of transgenic animals because of their large, strong pronuclei and high breeding performance. However, due to visual impairment of the FVB/N animals, the resulting transgenic animals cannot be used in tests that depend on vision, including tests of cognitive behavior. Therefore, we have bred a sighted version of the FVB/N strain by an outcross between FVB/N and 129P2/OlaHsd, followed by repeated backcrosses to FVB/N mice while selecting against albinism and homozygosity of the retinal degeneration mutation. After 11 generations of backcrossing, sighted animals were intercrossed to generate the congenic FVB.129P2-Pde6b(+) Tyr(c-ch)/Ant strain, which is pigmented (Tyr(c-ch)/(c-ch)) and devoid of the genetic predisposition to retinal degeneration. The accurate visual abilities of the FVB.129P2-Pde6b(+) Tyr(c-ch)/Ant mice, for which we propose the name FVBS/Ant, demonstrated a clear visual evoked potential in the presence of normal eye histology and improved performance in the Morris water maze test.
Errijgers
V
V
Department of Medical Genetics, University of Antwerp, Antwerp, Belgium.
Van Dam
D
D
Gantois
I
I
Van Ginneken
C J
CJ
Grossman
A W
AW
D'Hooge
R
R
De Deyn
P P
PP
Kooy
R F
RF
D000417:Albinism / Q000201:enzymology / Q000235:genetics; D000818:Animals; D035841:Behavioral Research / Q000379:methods*; D003433:Crosses, Genetic; D006152:Cyclic GMP / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D005074:Evoked Potentials, Visual / Q000502:physiology*; D005106:Exploratory Behavior; D005123:Eye / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000201:enzymology; D008297:Male; D018782:Maze Learning / Q000502:physiology*; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D008815:Mice, Inbred Strains; D008817:Mice, Mutant Strains; D008822:Mice, Transgenic; D023421:Models, Animal; D014442:Monophenol Monooxygenase / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D010858:Pigmentation / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology; D012162:Retinal Degeneration / Q000201:enzymology / Q000235:genetics; D013045:Species Specificity
D014442:Monophenol Monooxygenase; D006152:Cyclic GMP