The GENSAT database contains a gene expression atlas of the central
nervous system of the mouse based on bacterial artificial chromosomes
(BACs). In each of the BAC transgenic vectors, endogenous protein coding
sequences have been replaced by sequences encoding the EGFP reporter
gene. As in any gene replacement experiment, the stability of the
reporter gene can vary somewhat from the endogenous gene. Thus these
results measure the relative rates of transcription for each gene; they
are not a direct measure of mRNA accumulation or of protein abundance for
the endogenous gene products. Furthermore, the enhanced sensitivity of
reporter gene assays, particularly in BAC lines carrying multiple copies
of the BAC transgene, may allow detection of sites of expression that are
not evident in situ hybridization experiments.
This database contains histological data from given BAC transgenic mouse
lines at three developmental stages - embryonic day 15.5 (E15.5),
postnatal day 7 (P7) and adult; in all cases the data represent results
of multiple transgenic lines. EGFP is visualized by staining with an
anti-EGFP antibody using the DAB method, or by confocal microscopy of
unstained tissue sections.
The GENSAT project is sponsored through a contract with the National
Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS). The principal
investigators of the study are Nathaniel Heintz, Ph.D., and Mary E.
Hatten, Ph.D., Professors, Rockefeller University. Protocols for the
modification of BACs, BAC transgenesis production and histology are
provided here; a
complete description of the procedure can be found in
"A gene expression atlas of the central nervous system based on
bacterial artificial chromosomes", Nature. 2003 Oct
30;425(6961):917-25
Contents of this work may be downloaded, copied, and cited. The data are
provided without warranty as to the accuracy or fitness for any specific
use. The recommended citation for the resource is:
The Gene Expression Nervous System Atlas (GENSAT) Project, NINDS
Contract # N01NS02331 to The Rockefeller University (New York,
NY).
