Journal of Undergraduate Research
Keywords
transgenic rescue, disproportionate micromelia mice, Dmm
College
Life Sciences
Department
Physiology and Developmental Biology
Abstract
Microinjection is a technique used to introduce DNA into the genome of an animal at the embryo stage. It is an effective way to insert replacement, or rescue, copies of a gene that the embryo may be lacking. In this study, I prepared purified copies of the mouse Col2a1 gene and microinjected them into the pronuclei of single-cell mouse embryos. Col2a1 encodes type II collagen, a major component of cartilage. Mice carrying one or two mutant alleles of Col2a1 are characterized by developmental abnormalities, degenerative joint disease, and even death. This phenotype is observed in Disproportionate micromelia (Dmm) mice, which harbor a mutation in the C-propeptide region of the Col2a1 gene. I hypothesized that introducing functional copies of this gene would override the effects of the mutant alleles and generate a strain of Dmm mice with attenuated manifestations of the mutant phenotype.
Recommended Citation
Higgenbotham, Lisa and Seegmiller, Dr. Robert
(2013)
"Transgenic Rescue of Disproportionate Micromelia (Dmm) Mice,"
Journal of Undergraduate Research: Vol. 2013:
Iss.
1, Article 1435.
Available at:
https://scholarsarchive.byu.edu/jur/vol2013/iss1/1435