title: Confirmation of germ-line transmission in the red fluorescence protein (RFP) transgenic cloned male cat.
abstract: The production of transgenic animals is highly desirable for biotechnology and basic research. We investigated the reproductive ability of a red fluorescence protein (RFP) transgenic cloned male cat (RFP TG cat) by natural mating with a domestic female cat. The RFP expression levels were examined in early embryogenesis, tissues from 45-day-old two fetuses, and four RFP TG cat offspring. The RFP gene was detected in tissue samples from one dead kitten, including several organs and the skin. Also, under a fluorescent light source, we were able to directly detect the RFP expression of in in vitro-produced blastocysts derived with sperm from the RFP TG cat. These results indicate that the RFP TG cat exhibits normal reproductive fertility, stable germ-line transmission of the RFP transgene, and characteristic RFP expression in its offspring. We isolated feline neural progenitor cells from a 45-day-old fetus derived from the natural mating of the RFP TG cat with a domestic female cat. Isolated brain and retinal progenitor cells were successfully passaged at least four times post isolation (day 23), and showed a high RFP expression level. This method of producing genetically modified cloned cats will be important for generating biomedical models of human diseases.
authors.affiliation: Division of Applied Life Science (BK21), Graduate School of Gyeongsang National University, Jinju 660-701, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Su-Jin
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Cho
authors.forename: Young S
authors.initials: YS
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Jae-Ik
authors.initials: JI
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Jae-Il
authors.initials: JI
authors.lastname: Bang
authors.forename: Jing
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.forename: Henry
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Klassen
authors.forename: Il-Keun
authors.initials: IK
authors.lastname: Kong
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D030801:Animals, Genetically Modified; D002415:Cats; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D019976:Cloning, Organism / Q000379:methods; D047108:Embryonic Development / Q000502:physiology; D005260:Female; D005854:Germ Cells; D006801:Humans; D017404:In Situ Hybridization, Fluorescence; D007621:Karyotyping; D008164:Luminescent Proteins / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D018895:Microsatellite Repeats; D011247:Pregnancy; D013234:Stem Cells / Q000166:cytology; D019076:Transgenes; D000097573:Red Fluorescent Protein
chemical_list: D008164:Luminescent Proteins; D000097573:Red Fluorescent Protein