Gene Description

Symbol:  EGFP

Gene:  enhanced green fluorescent protein

Chromosome:  14

Insertion Site:  The EGFP transgene is located on chromosome 14 between exons 31 and 32 of the Huntingtin gene (at base 81544172 of chromosome 14).

Background Strain:  SD

Strain Development:  This transgenic strain contains the enhanced green fluorescent protein gene under the control of the human ubiquitin-C promoter with a the woodchuck hepatitis virus posttranscriptional regulatory element (WRE). This transgenic strain was made by injecting the lentivirus vector containing the GFP construct (vector name FUGW) into SD rat embryos. The offspring were mated to SD rats. One line was selected and male offspring were backcrossed to SD females at least 4 generations until a single insertion site was demonstrated. This line has been continued by mating carrier males to SD females.

Other Strain Names:  FUGW, SD-GFP

Summary of Phenotype

This rat model has been found to exhibit expression of the enhanced green fluorescent in multiple organs and expression is likely ubiquitous. Expression as measured by epifluorescence microscopy is variable (see table at bottom of this page). However, please note that blood and tissue products (i.e. heme and other pigments) as well as tissue density and thickness likely influence subgross fluorescence. Below are links to images of organs examined to date:

Nervous System and Special Senses Brain (Cerebrum) Distal Spinal Cord Proximal Spinal Cord Sciatic Nerve Eye Brain frozen section Digestive System Jejunum Proximal Colon Distal Colon Salivary Glands Liver Pancreas

Cardiovascular System Heart Urinary System Kidney Urinary Bladder Respiratory System Lung Hemolymphatic System Mesenteric Lymph Node Spleen Thymus

Reproductive System (Male) Prostate Testis Vesicular Gland Reproductive System (Male) Uterus Musculoskeletal System Skeletal Muscle (Quadriceps)

Relative Tissue Fluorescence (1 = least intense; 4 = most intense)

1 - spleen
2 - heart, liver, lung, uterus/ovary
3 - eye, intestinal tract, kidney, mesenteric lymph node, pancreas, prostate, salivary glands, skeletal muscle (quadriceps), spinal cord, thymus, urinary bladder, vesicular gland
4 - brain, testis

Literature Review

• Lois C, Hong EJ, Pease S, Brown EJ, Baltimore D
  
  Germline transmission and tissue-specific expression of transgenes delivered by lentiviral vectors, Science. 2002 Feb 1;295(5556):868-72. Epub 2002 Jan 10.

Availability

Available at the Rat Research and Resource Center