“Passenger gene” problem in transgenic C57BL/6 mice used in hearing research

In this study, we investigated the role of fatty acid-binding protein 7 (Fabp7), which is important for cellular uptake and intracellular trafficking of fatty acids in the cochlea, using traditional Fabp7 knockout (KO) mice on the C57BL/6 background. We found that Fabp7 KO mice showed delayed AHL progression and milder cochlear degeneration. However, the genotype of the Cdh23 region flanking Fabp7 was still that of 129/Sv origin (Cdh23753GG). Our findings reveal the potential risk of contamination for traditional transgenic mice generated on the C57BL/6 background.
Source: Neuroscience Research - Category: Neuroscience Source Type: research