Elsevier

Gene Expression Patterns

Volume 3, Issue 4, August 2003, Pages 389-395
Gene Expression Patterns

Math1-driven GFP expression in the developing nervous system of transgenic mice

https://doi.org/10.1016/S1567-133X(03)00089-9Get rights and content

Abstract

Math1 is a bHLH transcription factor expressed in neural progenitor cells in multiple regions of the nervous system. Previously we identified a Math1 enhancer that directs expression of reporter genes in a Math1 specific pattern [Development 127 (2000) 1185]. We have used a portion of this enhancer to drive expression of a nuclear GFP reporter in the Math1 lineage in transgenic mice. In this transgenic mouse strain, GFP is expressed in Math1 domains in the (1) developing spinal cord in progenitors to dI1 dorsal interneurons, (2) granule-cell progenitors in the developing cerebellum, (3) Merkel cells in the skin, and (4) hair cells in the developing vestibular and auditory systems. Furthermore, non-Math1 related expression is detected that is likely due to the absence of inhibitory regulatory sequences from the transgene. These expression domains include (1) the apical ectodermal ridge in developing limbs, (2) post-mitotic cells in the developing cortex and spinal cord, (3) the dentate gyrus, (4) retina, and (5) olfactory epithelium. Because GFP marks specific neuronal cell types in living tissue, this transgenic strain is a powerful tool for future studies on the development and electrophysiological properties of distinct cell types in the central nervous system and in sensory systems.

Section snippets

Results and discussion

Math1 is a basic helix–loop–helix (bHLH) transcription factor that is expressed in and/or required for the development of specific cell populations in the nervous system including cerebellar granule cells (Ben-Arie et al., 1997), hair cells of the inner ear (Bermingham et al., 1999, Chen et al., 2002), commissural interneurons of the dorsal spinal cord identified by the lim homeodomain factors Lhx2/9 (Bermingham et al., 2001, Gowan et al., 2001), and Merkel cells in the epidermis (Ben-Arie et

Generation of transgenic mice

A 1,385-bp sequence found ∼3 kb 3′ of the Math1 coding sequence (nt 1-1385 from AF218258) was placed 5′ of the BgnGFP reporter construct. The BgnGFP reporter construct contains the β-globin basal promoter (from BGZA, (Yee and Rigby, 1993)), the Nco1/Xho1 sequence from Clontech pIRES-EGFP containing EGFP with bovine growth hormone 3′ sequences, and an added nuclear localization signal at the N-terminus (MAPKKKRKVDEV). The Math1 enhancer contains the same sequence as Tg15 in (Helms et al., 2000)

Acknowledgements

We gratefully acknowledge Drs K. Lee and T. M. Jessell for providing LH2A/B antisera, and the Developmental Studies Hybridoma Bank for TAG-1 specific antibodies (4D7). E. A. L. is supported by the Sandler Program in Basic Sciences. H. H. is a NSF predoctoral fellow. P. C. is supported by the NIH. A. D., P. W., A. G. and N. S. are supported by the NIH and the National Organization for Hearing Research. T. C, P. P., and A. O.-A. are supported by grants from the March of Dimes and the Texas

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