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Generation and characterization of a Gdf1 conditional null allele
Author(s) -
Bengtsson Henrik,
Epifantseva Irina,
Åbrink Magnus,
Kylberg Annika,
Kullander Klas,
Ebendal Ted,
Usoskin Dmitry
Publication year - 2008
Publication title -
genesis
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.093
H-Index - 110
eISSN - 1526-968X
pISSN - 1526-954X
DOI - 10.1002/dvg.20408
Subject(s) - biology , null allele , exon , forebrain , alternative splicing , messenger rna , gene , allele , embryo , genetics , hippocampal formation , conditional gene knockout , microbiology and biotechnology , central nervous system , neuroscience , phenotype
Growth differentiation factor‐1 (GDF1), a TGF‐β superfamily member, participates in early embryo patterning. Later functions are implied by the Gdf1 expression in the peripheral and central nervous system. Such roles of the gene have been difficult to study, because Gdf1 null mice die during late embryogenesis. Here, we report the production of a mouse carrying a conditional Gdf1 allele, with exon 2 flanked by loxP sites. Crossing these mice with CaMKIIα‐Cre mice resulted in Gdf1 ablation in the forebrain postnatally. Such mice displayed no behavioral changes or altered expression levels in a set of hippocampal genes examined. However, excision of the floxed Gdf1 exon caused increased expression of the remaining part of the bicistronic Uog1‐Gdf1 transcript in the hippocampus. This indicates that the transcript level is regulated by a negative feedback‐loop, sensing presence of either the protein or the mRNA region encoded by Gdf1 exon 2. genesis 46:368–372, 2008. © 2008 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.