Testing for the Mafia Mouse Suicide Gene

Authors

Robert Kitz, Brigham Young University
Dr. Sandra Burnett, Brigham Young University

Keywords

Mafia transgene, mouse suicide gene, PCR, Polymerase Chain Reaction

College

Life Sciences

Department

Microbiology and Molecular Biology

Abstract

The Macrophage Fas-Induced Apoptosis (Mafia) mouse is a transgenic mouse model designed by Dr. Sandra Burnett to study the role of macrophages in the absence of macrophages. The Mafia transgene contains the genetic code for the Green Florescent Protein, a suicide gene and a c-fms promoter that makes the gene specific to macrophages. The transgene inserted randomly in more than one place causing it to express at different levels within different mice. In order to identify the separate insertion points within the mouse genome, I used several methods of Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) testing followed by DNA sequencing.

Recommended Citation

Kitz, Robert and Burnett, Dr. Sandra (2013) "Testing for the Mafia Mouse Suicide Gene," Journal of Undergraduate Research: Vol. 2013: Iss. 1, Article 1277.
Available at: https://scholarsarchive.byu.edu/jur/vol2013/iss1/1277