Tg(Vil1-mRFP1/TJP1)#Tjr

Mice bearing this transgene express a fusion protein composed of monomeric red fluorescent protein (mRFP) joined to the amino terminus of human tight junction protein 1 (TJP1; also called zonula occludens 1, ZO-1) in the intestinal villus epithelium under control of the regulatory elements of the mouse villin 1 (Vil1) gene. The transgene contains 9 kb of mouse Vil1, extending from 3.5 kb upstream of the transcription initiation site through the 5.5-kb first intron to the translation initiation codon in the second exon, followed by the coding sequence for mRFP1 joined to a human TJP1 cDNA and the polyadenylation signal of the bovine growth hormone gene. In-vivo imaging of the mucosal surface of externalized, opened jejunal segments of transgenic mice using a multiphoton confocal inverted microscope and a laser with a special emission range of 577-679 nm showed the mRFP1-TJP1 fusion protein concentrated at tight junctions of the intestinal epithelium; it is not associated with the lateral membrane. (J:53387, J:158798, J:213189)