Conditional protein alleles using knockin mice and a chemical inducer of dimerization

Mol Cell. 2003 Dec;12(6):1615-24. doi: 10.1016/s1097-2765(03)00491-x.

Abstract

We have developed a general method of making conditional alleles that allows the rapid and reversible regulation of specific proteins. A mouse line was produced in which proteins encoded by the endogenous glycogen synthase kinase-3 beta (GSK-3beta) gene are fused to an 89 amino acid tag, FRB*. FRB* causes the destabilization of GSK-3beta, producing a severe loss-of-function allele. In the presence of C20-MaRap, a highly specific, nontoxic, cell-permeable small molecule, GSK-3betaFRB* binds to the ubiquitously expressed FKBP12 protein. This interaction stabilizes GSK-3betaFRB* and restores both protein levels and activity. C20-MaRap-mediated stabilization is rapidly reversed by the addition of an FKBP12 binding competitor molecule. This technology may be applied to a wide range of FRB*-tagged mouse genes while retaining their native transcriptional control. Inducible stabilization could be valuable for many developmental and physiological studies and for drug target validation.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, P.H.S.

MeSH terms

  • Alleles*
  • Animals
  • Antifungal Agents / chemistry
  • Antifungal Agents / metabolism
  • Cells, Cultured
  • Cysteine Endopeptidases / metabolism
  • Dimerization
  • Embryo, Mammalian / physiology
  • Enzyme Stability
  • Female
  • Fibroblasts / cytology
  • Fibroblasts / metabolism
  • Gene Deletion
  • Genes, Reporter
  • Glycogen Synthase Kinase 3 / genetics*
  • Glycogen Synthase Kinase 3 / metabolism
  • Glycogen Synthase Kinase 3 beta
  • Mice
  • Mice, Transgenic*
  • Molecular Structure
  • Multienzyme Complexes / metabolism
  • Pregnancy
  • Proteasome Endopeptidase Complex
  • Protein Structure, Tertiary
  • Recombinant Fusion Proteins / metabolism
  • Sirolimus / chemistry
  • Sirolimus / metabolism

Substances

  • Antifungal Agents
  • Multienzyme Complexes
  • Recombinant Fusion Proteins
  • Glycogen Synthase Kinase 3 beta
  • Gsk3b protein, mouse
  • Glycogen Synthase Kinase 3
  • Cysteine Endopeptidases
  • Proteasome Endopeptidase Complex
  • Sirolimus