Identification of presomitic mesoderm (PSM)-specific Mesp1 enhancer and generation of a PSM-specific Mesp1/Mesp2-null mouse using BAC-based rescue technology

Mech Dev. 2008 May-Jun;125(5-6):432-40. doi: 10.1016/j.mod.2008.01.010. Epub 2008 Feb 5.

Abstract

Bacterial artificial chromosome (BAC) modification technology is a powerful method for the identification of enhancer sequences and genetic modifications. Using this method, we have analyzed the Mesp1 and/or Mesp2 enhancers and identified P1-PSME, a PSM-specific enhancer of Mesp1, which contains a T-box binding site similar to the previously identified P2-PSME. Hence, Mesp1 and Mesp2 use different enhancers for their PSM-specific expression. In addition, we find that these two genes also use distinct enhancers for their early mesodermal expression. Based on these results, we generated a PSM-specific Mesp1/Mesp2-null mouse by introducing a BAC clone, from which only early mesodermal Mesp1 expression is possible, into the Mesp1/Mesp2 double knockout (dKO) genetic background. This successfully rescued gastrulation defects due to the lack of the early mesoderm in the dKO mouse and we thereby obtained a PSM-specific Mesp1/Mesp2-null mouse showing a lack of segmented somites.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Base Sequence
  • Basic Helix-Loop-Helix Transcription Factors / genetics*
  • Basic Helix-Loop-Helix Transcription Factors / metabolism
  • Binding Sites
  • Chromosomes, Artificial, Bacterial*
  • Enhancer Elements, Genetic
  • Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental*
  • Mesoderm / metabolism*
  • Mice
  • Mice, Knockout
  • Molecular Sequence Data
  • Phenotype
  • Recombination, Genetic
  • Sequence Homology, Nucleic Acid

Substances

  • Basic Helix-Loop-Helix Transcription Factors
  • Mesp1 protein, mouse
  • Mesp2 protein, mouse