The snail family gene snai3 is not essential for embryogenesis in mice.

Document Type

Article

Publication Date

1-1-2013

Institution/Department

Center for Molecular Medicine, Maine Medical Center Research Institute

Journal Title

PLoS One

MeSH Headings

Animals, Embryo, Mammalian, Embryonic Development, Founder Effect, Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental, Homozygote, Mice, Mice, Knockout, Muscle, Skeletal, Protein Isoforms, Recombinant Fusion Proteins, Signal Transduction, Snail Family Transcription Factors, Thymus Gland, Transcription Factors

Abstract

The Snail gene family encodes zinc finger-containing transcriptional repressor proteins. Three members of the Snail gene family have been described in mammals, encoded by the Snai1, Snai2, and Snai3 genes. The function of the Snai1 and Snai2 genes have been studied extensively during both vertebrate embryogenesis and tumor progression and metastasis, and play critically important roles during these processes. However, little is known about the function of the Snai3 gene and protein. We describe here generation and analysis of Snai3 conditional and null mutant mice. We also generated an EYFP-tagged Snai3 null allele that accurately reflects endogenous Snai3 gene expression, with the highest levels of expression detected in thymus and skeletal muscle. Snai3 null mutant homozygous mice are viable and fertile, and exhibit no obvious phenotypic defects. These results demonstrate that Snai3 gene function is not essential for embryogenesis in mice.

ISSN

1932-6203

First Page

65344

Last Page

65344

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