Tg(Umod-cre)1Dek

A 3.7 kb fragment of the murine Tamms-Horsfall protein gene (THP; official name - uromodulin, Umod) was identified and modified to generate the transgene construct. The 3' end of the Umod fragment containing the first non-coding exon and part of the first intron was modified to create a fusion of cre recombinase and the transcriptional start site/exon 1. The cre recombinase sequence includes an 11 amino acid herpes simplex virus (HSV) glycoprotein D epitope tag to facilitate immunodetection of cre protein. The purified construct was microinjected into pronuclei of C57BL/CBA single cell embryos. Eleven founders were obtained, and six showed transgene transmission. Founders were crossed to ROSA-EYFP reporters to evaluate specificity and recombination efficiency. Line 1 showed the strongest reporter activation in the outer medulla of the kidney with negative staining in other organs. Cre (CreTag) mRNA was detected in the kidney and testes, with low expression in the brain. Line 1 was determined to have one copy of the transgene. (J:84256)