Generation of a Wt1 conditional deletion, nuclear red fluorescent protein reporter allele in the mouse

Jace A Aloway; E Cristy Ruteshouser; Vicki Huff; Richard R Behringer

doi:10.1016/j.diff.2024.100791

Generation of a Wt1 conditional deletion, nuclear red fluorescent protein reporter allele in the mouse

Differentiation. 2024 Jul-Aug:138:100791. doi: 10.1016/j.diff.2024.100791. Epub 2024 Jun 19.

Authors

Jace A Aloway¹, E Cristy Ruteshouser², Vicki Huff¹, Richard R Behringer³

Affiliations

¹ Department of Genetics, University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, 77030, USA; Genetics and Epigenetics Program, MD Anderson Cancer Center UT Health Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Houston, TX, 77030, USA.
² Department of Genetics, University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, 77030, USA.
³ Department of Genetics, University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, 77030, USA; Genetics and Epigenetics Program, MD Anderson Cancer Center UT Health Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Houston, TX, 77030, USA. Electronic address: [email protected].

PMID: 38941819
DOI: 10.1016/j.diff.2024.100791

Abstract

A Wt1 conditional deletion, nuclear red fluorescent protein (RFP) reporter allele was generated in the mouse by gene targeting in embryonic stem cells. Upon Cre-mediated recombination, a deletion allele is generated that expresses RFP in a Wt1-specific pattern. RFP expression was detected in embryonic and adult tissues known to express Wt1, including the kidney, mesonephros, and testis. In addition, RFP expression and WT1 co-localization was detected in the adult uterine stroma and myometrium, suggesting a role in uterine function. Crosses with Wnt7a-Cre transgenic mice that express Cre in the Müllerian duct epithelium activate Wt1-directed RFP expression in the epithelium of the oviduct but not the stroma and myometrium of the uterus. This new mouse strain should be a useful resource for studies of Wt1 function and marking Wt1-expressing cells.

Keywords: Kidney; Mesonephros; Oviduct; Testis; Uterus; Wilms’ tumor.

MeSH terms

Alleles*
Animals
Female
Gene Deletion
Genes, Reporter
Luminescent Proteins* / genetics
Luminescent Proteins* / metabolism
Male
Mice
Mice, Transgenic*
Red Fluorescent Protein*
WT1 Proteins* / genetics
WT1 Proteins* / metabolism

Substances

Red Fluorescent Protein
WT1 Proteins
Luminescent Proteins
WT1 protein, mouse