Simple method of zygosity identification in transgenic mice by real-time quantitative PCR

Transgenic Res. 2004 Apr;13(2):191-4. doi: 10.1023/b:trag.0000026084.32492.eb.

Abstract

To determine zygosity in transgenic (Tg) mice, a new technology, real-time quantitative PCR, has recently been introduced in transgenic research to overcome several drawbacks (time-consuming, specialized techniques and/or ambiguity in the results) of previously established methods, for example, Southern blot hybridization, dot blot hybridization, fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH), etc. However, the previous real-time quantitative PCR method still possesses several drawbacks, for example, it needs two sets of primers/probes and the complicated setting up of appropriate conditions, both of which are expensive and remain time-consuming. We therefore developed an improved real-time quantitative PCR system for determination of zygosity, which is easy, rapid and less expensive, because the technique needs only two experimental processes: estimation of DNA concentration and CYBR Green PCR. We found that homozygous, hemizygous and non-Tg animals could easily be distinguished among F1 littermates in crosses of hemizygous EGFP- and DsRed2-Tg mice. Our improved method will be applicable to any Tg mouse strains, when a primer set is matched to the corresponding transgene.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Base Sequence
  • Fluorescent Dyes / analysis
  • Genetic Carrier Screening / methods*
  • Heterozygote*
  • Homozygote*
  • Mice
  • Mice, Transgenic / genetics*
  • Molecular Sequence Data
  • Polymerase Chain Reaction / methods*

Substances

  • Fluorescent Dyes

Associated data

  • GENBANK/U15541