Inducible Site-Directed Recombination in Mouse Embryonic Stem Cells

• DOI: 10.1093/nar/24.4.543
• Publication Date: 2002-07-26T18:30:20Z
• Authors: Y. Zhang; C. Riesterer; A.-M. Ayrall; F. Sablitzky; T. D. Littlewood; M. Reth
• Keywords: Cre recombinase; Site-specific recombination; Chimeric gene

The site-directed recombinase Cre can be employed to delete or express genes in cell lines animals. Clearly, the ability control remotely activity of this enzyme would highly desirable. To end we have constructed expression vectors for fusion proteins consisting and a mutated hormone-binding domain murine oestrogen receptor. latter still binds anti-oestrogen drug tamoxifen but no longer 17β-oestradiol. We show here that embryonic stem cells expressing such proteins, efficiently induce Cre-mediated recombination, thereby activating stably integrated LacZ reporter gene. In presence either 10 mM 800 nM 4-hydroxy-tamoxifen, recombination gene is complete within 3–4 days. By placing tamoxifen-binding on both ends protein, enzymatic even more tightly controlled. Transgenic mice an tamoxifen-inducible may thus provide new useful genetic tool mutate at specific times during developement adult