Itgb7^tm1Mshi

A vector consisting of a cre recombinase and a neomycin resistant gene under the control of the sperm-specific ACE promoter was used for targeting exon 4. In exon 4, the sequence encoding amino acid 146 was changed from an aspartate to an alanine (D146A). This mutation was predicted to keep the integrin in a constitutively adhesive state. The cre-recombinase and the neomycin resistance gene were excised in chimeras during spermatogenesis, leaving behind one loxP site. The mutation was confirmed by genomic sequencing. (J:127413)