Embryonic survival and severity of cardiac and craniofacial defects are affected by genetic background in fibroblast growth factor-16 null mice.

Disruption of the X-chromosome fibroblast growth factor 16 (Fgf-16) gene, a member of the FGF-9 subfamily with FGF-20, was linked with an effect on cardiac development in two independent studies. However, poor trabeculation with lethality by embryonic day (E) 11.5 was associated with only one, involving maintenance in Black Swiss (Bsw) versus C57BL/6 mice.

Transgenic expression of human equilibrative nucleoside transporter 1 in mouse neurons.

Transgenic mice that express human equilibrative nucleoside transporter subtype 1 (hENT1) under the control of a neuron-specific enolase promoter have been generated. Southern blot and PCR revealed the presence of the transgene in five founder mice. Mice from each founder line were examined by reverse transcriptase (RT)-PCR and found to express hENT1 in RNA isolated from whole brain, cerebral cortex, striatum, hippocampus, and cerebellum but not liver, kidney, heart, lung or skeletal muscle.

FGF-16 is required for embryonic heart development.

Fibroblast growth factor 16 (FGF-16) expression has previously been detected in mouse heart at mid-gestation in the endocardium and epicardium, suggesting a role in embryonic heart development. More specifically, exogenously applied FGF-16 has been shown to stimulate growth of embryonic myocardial cells in tissue explants. We have generated mice lacking FGF-16 by targeting the Fgf16 locus on the X chromosome.

Proteomic identification of AP2 gamma as a rat placental lactogen II trophoblast cell-specific enhancer binding protein.

The factors that regulate the developmental expression of the rodent prolactin gene family in placenta remain poorly defined. We previously identified an enhancer element in the 5' flanking region of one family member, rat placental lactogen II (rPLII), which could target reporter gene expression to the placenta in transgenic mice; this enhancer functioned in the Rcho rat trophoblast cell line but not in the rat pituitary GC cell line. In further experiments to identify the factors that bind this element, we have selectively enriched for DNA binding proteins in nuclear extract from Rcho cells using magnetic beads coupled to a 43-bp enhancer oligonucleotide.

Defining regulatory regions in the rat prolactin gene family locus using a large P1 genomic clone.

Members of the large rat prolactin gene family located on chromosome 17 are expressed in one or more placental trophoblast cell types and maternal decidua at specific times during pregnancy. Studies to identify the factors involved in these highly specific developmental expression patterns, using limited amounts of 5'-flanking DNA, have met with only partial success. Here we report the isolation and characterization of an 80-kb rat genomic clone, P1 12830, containing linked rat placental lactogen II, rat prolactin-like protein-I, and rat prolactin-like protein-B genes with substantial amounts of 5'- and 3'-flanking DNA as well as a rat placental lactogen II-related pseudogene, the first to be described in this gene family.