Tg(ZP3)7812Dean

This transgene comprises 6 kb of 5' flanking DNA from the mouse zona pellucida 3 gene ligated to the 5' half of the human zona pellucida 3 gene, including exons and introns 1-4, followed by cDNA encoded by exons 5-8 of the human gene and the bovine growth hormone polyadenylation signal. This transgenic line was estimated by Southern blot densitometry to carry two copies of the transgene. Transgene expression was shown by RNase protection analysis of multiple tissues to be ovary-specific. In situ hybridization localized expression to the cytoplasm of growing oocytes, at a level similar to that of the co-expressed endogenous mouse gene. Species-specific antibodies detect lower levels of human and mouse ZP3 in zonae pellucidae of mature transgenic oocytes than in human or wild-type mouse zonae, respectively; the total (human + mouse) approximating that in normal mouse zonae. The molecular mass of the transgenic protein suggests it undergoes post-translational modification similarly to the native human protein. (J:77459)