Erbb4^{tm1.1(cre/ERT2)Aibs}

A targeting vector was designed to insert a viral 2A oligopeptide that mediates ribosomal skipping and a CreERT2 fusion gene immediately downstream of the translational STOP codon of the Erbb4 locus (v-erb-a erythroblastic leukemia viral oncogene homolog 4 (avian)). The targeting vector contained, from 5' to 3', an frt3 site, a viral 2A oligopeptide, a CreERT2 fusion gene, a bovine growth hormone polyA signal, an attB site, a PGK-Neo-polyA cassette, an frt5 site, an RNA splice acceptor, the 3' portion of the hygromycin gene with SV40 polyA signal, and an attP site. This construct was electroporated into G4 ES cells. Correctly targeted ES cells were injected into recipient blastocysts. The resulting chimeric animals were bred to C57BL/6J mice to generate the Erbb4-2A-CreERT2 mutant colony. These mutant mice were bred to PhiC31-expressing mice (C57BL/6J congenic background) to remove the PGK-Neo-polyA cassette, frt5 site, RNA splice acceptor, and the 3' portion of the hygromycin gene with SV40 polyA signal. Following tamoxifen induction, Erbb4-2A-CreERT2 directs reporter gene expression in scattered interneuron subpopulations of Erbb4-expressing cells in the cortex and hippocampus. (J:155793)