Sox18^{tm1(GFP/cre/ERT2)Pzg}

Mice with this mutation have a tamoxifen-inducible Cre-mediated recombination system and, independently, express green fluorescent protein (GFP) from the promoter of the endogenous gene. A GFP-Cre/ERT2 cassette (GCE) with a polyadenylation signal followed by a frt site-flanked kanamycin and neomycin resistance cassette was inserted in the first targeting exon of the endogenous gene immediately following the ATG translation initiation codon. Although no green fluorescence is visible in whole heterozygous mutant E15.5 embryos or their urogenital tracts, immunohistochemical analysis detects GFP protein in kidneys and ovaries of these embryos. Following four-day tamoxifen induction of Cre recombinase activity in E15.5 embryos bearing this allele and a Cre recombinase-inducible lacZ reporter gene, beta-galactosidase activity is detected weakly by X-gal staining and beta-galactosidase protein more strongly by immunohistochemical analysis in the kidneys and ovaries. (J:159099)