Abstract
The development of homologous recombination methods for the precise modification of bacterial artificial chromosomes has allowed the introduction of disease causing mutations or fluorescent reporter genes into human loci for functional studies. We have introduced the EGFP gene into the human PRPH-1 locus to create the Peripherin-EGFP (hPRPH1-G) genomic reporter construct. The hPRPH1-G reporter was used to create transgenic mice with an intrinsically fluorescent peripheral nervous system (PNS). During development, hPRPH1-G expression was concomitant with the acquisition of neuronal cell fate and growing axons could be observed in whole embryo mounts. In the adult, sensory neurons were labeled in both the PNS and central nervous system, while motor neurons in the spinal cord had more limited expression. The fusion protein labeled long neuronal processes, highlighting the peripheral circuitry of hPRPH1-G transgenic mice to provide a useful resource for a range of neurobiological applications.
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Acknowledgments
Panos A. Ioannou passed away in April 2005. We thank members of the Cell and Gene Therapy Research Group for informative discussions. This work was supported by grants from the Brockhoff Foundation, the Ronald Geoffrey Arnott Foundation and a block grant from the National Health and Medical Research Council of Australia (#973051). Samuel McLenachan was the recipient of a Melbourne Research Scholarship from the University of Melbourne.
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McLenachan, S., Goldshmit, Y., Fowler, K.J. et al. Transgenic mice expressing the Peripherin-EGFP genomic reporter display intrinsic peripheral nervous system fluorescence. Transgenic Res 17, 1103–1116 (2008). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11248-008-9210-7
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11248-008-9210-7