Microinjection of DNA Constructs into Embryos for Gene Misexpression and -Regulatory Module Analysis.

Introducing exogenous DNA into an embryo can promote misexpression of a gene of interest via transcription regulated by an attached enhancer-promoter. This protocol describes plasmid DNA microinjection into embryos for misexpression of genes after zygotic gene expression begins. It also describes a method for coinjecting a reporter plasmid with mRNA or antisense morpholinos to perform luciferase reporter assays, which are useful for quantitative analysis of -regulatory sequences responding to endogenous or exogenous stimuli in embryos.