ABSTRACT
Objective: To clone mouse rod opsin promoter (ROP) and establish transgenic mice harboring mouse rod opsin promoter and enhanced green fluorescent protein(mROP-EGFP) fusion gene. Methods: Mouse ROP was cloned from C57BL/6 mouse genomic DNA by polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Expression vector of mROP-EGFP fusion gene were constructed by recombination DNA technique. It was identified by restriction endonucleases digestion and confirmed by DNA sequencing. After Not I restriction endonuclease digestion, the coding elements were microinjected into male pronuclei of mice zygotes to generate transgenic mice. The pups were evaluated by PCR at genomic DNA level and mated with normal mouse. Expression of GFP in retina of transgenic mice was detected by fluorescent microscope. Results: 2. 1 kb mouse rod opsin promoter fragment was amplified from mice genome DNA. Expression vector pmROP-EGFP was constructed successfully. Following microinjection of coding sequence of pmROP-EGFP, 3 pups were verified to integrate the mROP-EGFP fusion gene in their genomic DNA by PCR assay, named C57-TgN (mROP-EGFP )SMMU21, C57-TgN (mROP-EGFP)SM-MU26 and C57-TgN(mROP-EGFP) SMMU27. They could express GFP in retina. Conclusion: 2. 1 kb mouse rod opsin promoter is cloned and expression vector pmROP-EGFP is constructed. mROP-EGFP fusion gene transgenic mice are established, which harboring mROP-EGFP gene and expressing GFP in their retina. This is valuable for studying the development of brain and retina, pathogenesis of retina disorder and retina transplanting.