The Transgenic Gene-Targeting Core has been an integral part of the Gladstone Institutes UCSF research community for more than 15 years, producing essential mouse models as a service to Gladstone investigators and UCSF faculty. To generate a transgenic mouse, a fragment of DNA is injected through a glass needle into a pronucleus of a fertilized one-cell host embryo. Microinjected embryos are implanted into oviducts of recipient female mice to permit development of the embryos into new lines of ìtransgenicî animals with the foreign DNA incorporated into their genomes. The foreign DNA can be designed to contain a functional gene that produces a particular protein or modulates the expression of host genes. This technology enables investigators to learn how specific genes and proteins, or their variants, function in a natural living animal environment with a defined genetic background in ways not possible by other experimental approaches. Transgenic mouse models have been used to understand how specific genes affect diseases and disorders that impact modern life.

The core maintains colonies of Harlan C57BL/6 and Charles River FVB/n mice. DNA can be injected on either background, hybrids and other strains. Additional expenses above the standard B6 or FVB will be charged to the investigator.

Successful integration of injected DNA greatly depends on the design, size, concentration and purity of the construct.

Services:

FVB strain, DNA< 20Kb: One day of microinjection with a minimum guarantee of 75 injected embryos transferred, or 10 living birth, or 2 transgenic founders produced, whichever comes first.

C57BL/6 strain and BAC DNA: We recommend two days of microinjection with a minimum guarantee of 150 injected embryos transferred, or 10 living birth, or 2 transgenic founders produced, whichever comes first.

Contact the Core if you wish to use another strain.

What to expect: Under optimal conditions 30% of FVB and 15% of B6 injected/ transfered embryos will be born. Of those born 20% will have the transgene.

DNA Injection Form

Protocols

Auerbach AB, Norinsky R, Ho W, Losos K, Guo Q, Chatterjee S, Joyner AL. Strain-dependent differences in the efficiency of transgenic mouse production. Transgenic Res. 2003 Feb;12(1):59-69.

Brinster RL, Chen HY, Trumbauer ME, Yagle MK, Palmiter RD. Factors affecting the efficiency of introducing foreign DNA into mice by microinjecting eggs. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 1985 Jul;82(13):4438-42.