Tg(TetOp-Polb/tTA)2Sbl

A transgenic construct was made that consisted of the TetOp promoter driving expression of a Flag-tagged beta-polymerase minigene and the tetracycline transactivator (tTA) from a bicistronic mRNA via the EMC virus IRES sequence. Basal levels of expression of the bicistronic mRNA initiate both beta-polymerase and tetracycline transactivator protein expression, thereby generating autocatalytic positive feedback to induce promoter transactivation and strongly increased levels of transgenic protein expression. Analysis of transgene expression (via Flag-epitope immunohistochemistry) in 8-week-old mice demonstrated expression in most tissues, with increased expression in the epithelial cells of the brain, pituitary gland, adrenal glands, oviduct, lens, and skin. (J:117775)