Tamoxifen-independent recombination in the RIP-CreER mouse

Research output: Contribution to journalResearch articleContributedpeer-review

Contributors

  • Yanmei Liu - , Medical Faculty Carl Gustav Carus, Max Planck Institute of Molecular Cell Biology and Genetics (Author)
  • Jakob Suckale - , Medical Faculty Carl Gustav Carus (Author)
  • Jimmy Masjkur - , Molecular Diabetology, Paul Langerhans Institute Dresden (PLID) of the Helmholtz Center Munich (Author)
  • Maria Grazia Magro - , Medical Faculty Carl Gustav Carus, Max Planck Institute of Molecular Cell Biology and Genetics (Author)
  • Anja Steffen - , Medical Faculty Carl Gustav Carus, University Hospital Carl Gustav Carus Dresden (Author)
  • Konstantinos Anastassiadis - , Stem Cell Engineering (Junior Research Group) (Author)
  • Michele Solimena - , Molecular Diabetology, Center for Regenerative Therapies Dresden, Max Planck Institute of Molecular Cell Biology and Genetics, Paul Langerhans Institute Dresden (PLID) of the Helmholtz Center Munich (Author)

Abstract

Background: The inducible Cre-lox system is a valuable tool to study gene function in a spatial and time restricted fashion in mouse models. This strategy relies on the limited background activity of the modified Cre recombinase (CreER) in the absence of its inducer, the competitive estrogen receptor ligand, tamoxifen. The RIP-CreER mouse (Tg (Ins2-cre/Esr1) 1Dam) is among the few available β-cell specific CreER mouse lines and thus it has been often used to manipulate gene expression in the insulin-producing cells of the endocrine pancreas. Principal Findings: Here, we report the detection of tamoxifen-independent Cre activity as early as 2 months of age in RIPCreER mice crossed with three distinct reporter strains. Significance: Evidence of Cre-mediated recombination of floxed alleles even in the absence of tamoxifen administration should warrant cautious use of this mouse for the study of pancreatic β-cells.

Details

Original languageEnglish
Article numbere13533
Pages (from-to)512-520
JournalPLoS ONE
Volume5
Issue number10
Publication statusPublished - 2010
Peer-reviewedYes

External IDs

researchoutputwizard legacy.publication#57008
Scopus 78149424683
PubMed 21063464

Keywords

Keywords

  • Animals\nIntegrases/*genetics\nMice\n*Recombination, Genetic\nTamoxifen/*pharmacology