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Visualization and ablation of phenylethanolamineN-methyltransferase producing cells in transgenic mice

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Abstract

We cloned and sequenced the mouse phenylethanolamineN-methyltransferase (PNMT) gene which encodes the enzyme that catalyses the conversion of norepinephrine to epinephrine. The ability of various length sequences flanking the mouse or human PNMT genes to direct expression of reporter genes in transgenic mice was examined. We show that 9 kb of 5′ flanking sequences from the cloned mouse PNMT gene can direct expression of theEscherichia coli β-galactosidase (lacZ) gene to predicted regions of the adrenal, eye can direct in the adult transgenic mouse. The transgene was also expressed during development, in the myelencephalon, adrenal medulla and dorsal root ganglia. PNMT-producing cells were ablated by expression of the diphtheria toxin (DT-A) gene driven by the human PNMT promoter, resulting in abnormalities in the adrenal medulla, eye and testis. The hPNMT8 kb-DT-A line presents a model with which to examine the developmental ramifications of deletion of PNMT-producing cell populations from the adrenal medulla and retina.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Howard Hughes Medical Institute and Department of Biochemistry, University of Washington, SL-15, 98195, Seattle, WA, USA

    Carol J. Quaife, Glenda J. Froelick, Seth D. Findley & Richard D. Palmiter

  2. Laboratory of Reproductive Physiology, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, 19104, Philadelphia, PA, USA

    Gary W. Hoyle & Ralph L. Brinster

  3. Cyto Therapeutics Incorporated, 2 Richmond Square, 02906, Providence, RI, USA

    E. Edward Baetge & Joseph P. Hammang

  4. Department of Molecular Genetics, 1515 Holcombe Blvd, 77030, Houston, TX, USA

    Richard R. Behringer

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  1. Carol J. Quaife
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  2. Gary W. Hoyle
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  3. Glenda J. Froelick
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  4. Seth D. Findley
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  5. E. Edward Baetge
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  8. Ralph L. Brinster
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  9. Richard D. Palmiter
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Quaife, C.J., Hoyle, G.W., Froelick, G.J. et al. Visualization and ablation of phenylethanolamineN-methyltransferase producing cells in transgenic mice. Transgenic Research 3, 388–400 (1994). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01976770

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01976770

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