title: Reconfiguring gene traps for new tasks using iTRAC.
abstract: We recently developed integrase-mediated trap conversion (iTRAC) as a means of exploiting gene traps to create new genetic tools, such as markers for imaging, drivers for gene expression and landing sites for gene and chromosome engineering. The principle of iTRAC is simple: primary gene traps are generated with transposon vectors carrying φC31 integrase docking sites, which are subsequently utilized to integrate different constructs into the selected trapped loci. Thus, iTRAC allows us to reconfigure selected traps for new purposes. Two features make iTRAC an attractive approach for Drosophila research. First, its versatility permits the exploitation of gene traps in an open-ended way, for applications that were not envisaged during the primary trapping screen. Second, iTRAC is readily transferable to new species and provides a means for developing complex genetic tools in drosophilids that lack the facility of Drosophila melanogaster genetics.
authors: Institute of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology, Foundation for Research and Technology Hellas, Crete, Greece.
authors: Zacharias
authors: Z
authors: Kontarakis
authors: Nikolaos
authors: N
authors: Konstantinides
authors: Anastasios
authors: A
authors: Pavlopoulos
authors: Michalis
authors: M
authors: Averof
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D004251:DNA Transposable Elements / Q000235:genetics; D004331:Drosophila melanogaster / Q000235:genetics*; D018014:Gene Transfer Techniques; D005819:Genetic Markers; D008164:Luminescent Proteins / Q000032:analysis
chemical_list: D004251:DNA Transposable Elements; D005819:Genetic Markers; D008164:Luminescent Proteins