Gene targeting of mouse Tardbp negatively affects Masp2 expression

PLoS One. 2014 Apr 16;9(4):e95373. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0095373. eCollection 2014.

Abstract

Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) is a devastating adult onset neurodegenerative disease affecting both upper and lower motor neurons. TDP-43, encoded by the TARDBP gene, was identified as a component of motor neuron cytoplasmic inclusions in both familial and sporadic ALS and has become a pathological signature of the disease. TDP-43 is a nuclear protein involved in RNA metabolism, however in ALS, TDP-43 is mislocalized to the cytoplasm of affected motor neurons, suggesting that disease might be caused by TDP-43 loss of function. To investigate this hypothesis, we attempted to generate a mouse conditional knockout of the Tardbp gene using the classical Cre-loxP technology. Even though heterozygote mice for the targeted allele were successfully generated, we were unable to obtain homozygotes. Here we show that although the targeting vector was specifically designed to not overlap with Tardbp adjacent genes, the homologous recombination event affected the expression of a downstream gene, Masp2. This may explain the inability to obtain homozygote mice with targeted Tardbp.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis / genetics
  • Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis / metabolism
  • Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis / pathology
  • Animals
  • Cell Nucleus / genetics
  • Cell Nucleus / metabolism
  • Cytoplasm / genetics
  • Cytoplasm / metabolism
  • DNA-Binding Proteins / genetics*
  • DNA-Binding Proteins / metabolism
  • Disease Models, Animal
  • Female
  • Gene Expression Regulation
  • Gene Targeting*
  • Genes, Lethal*
  • Heterozygote
  • Homologous Recombination
  • Humans
  • Integrases / genetics
  • Integrases / metabolism
  • Male
  • Mannose-Binding Protein-Associated Serine Proteases / genetics*
  • Mannose-Binding Protein-Associated Serine Proteases / metabolism
  • Mice
  • Motor Neurons / metabolism
  • Motor Neurons / pathology

Substances

  • DNA-Binding Proteins
  • TDP-43 protein, mouse
  • Cre recombinase
  • Integrases
  • MASP-2 protein, mouse
  • Mannose-Binding Protein-Associated Serine Proteases

Supplementary concepts

  • Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis 1