title: Striatum-specific expression of Cre recombinase using the Gpr88 promoter in mice.
abstract: We generated a transgenic (Tg) mouse line expressing Cre recombinase under the control of the Gpr88 promoter within a bacterial artificial chromosome clone. We crossed the established Tg mice with reporter mice (CAG-CAT-Z Tg), which express Escherichia coli lacZ in response to Cre-mediated excision of the loxP-flanked chloramphenicol acetyltransferase gene, and examined the Cre activity in the Tg mouse brains by assessing β-galactosidase activity. Cre activity was specifically detected in the caudate-putamen, nucleus accumbens, and olfactory tubercle of the Gpr88-Cre Tg mouse brain. Medium spiny neurons within the caudate-putamen exhibited Cre activity. Thus, Gpr88-Cre Tg mice could be a useful tool for analyzing the function of the basal ganglia by using Cre/loxP systems.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory for Developmental Neurobiology, RIKEN Brain Science Institute (BSI) 2-1 Hirosawa, Wako City, Saitama, 351-0198, Japan, chihiro@brain.riken.jp.
authors.forename: Chihiro
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Hisatsune
authors.forename: Naoko
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Ogawa
authors.forename: Katsuhiko
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Mikoshiba
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001479:Basal Ganglia / Q000378:metabolism; D001921:Brain / Q000378:metabolism; D022202:Chromosomes, Artificial, Bacterial / Q000235:genetics; D004926:Escherichia coli; D019426:Integrases / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D007763:Lac Operon; D051379:Mice; D008822:Mice, Transgenic; D011401:Promoter Regions, Genetic; D043562:Receptors, G-Protein-Coupled / Q000235:genetics*; D001616:beta-Galactosidase / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: C485998:Gpr88 protein, mouse; D043562:Receptors, G-Protein-Coupled; C045073:Cre recombinase; D019426:Integrases; D001616:beta-Galactosidase