TRANSGENIC CORE

通过转基因和基因敲除在单个基因中产生确定变化的能力 技术为研究人员提供了强大的工具，用于了解特定基因及其相应蛋白质在各种生物过程中的作用，并能够监测几乎每种细胞和组织类型（包括有丝分裂后组织）中基因组完整性的变化。用分子开关调节基因表达的复杂方法（例如，四环素基因调控的二元系统，Cre重组酶介导的loxP位点侧翼序列的调控）与转基因和基因敲除技术相结合，促进了对特定基因在成人衰老中的作用的研究 动物通过绕过胚胎表达。最近，RNAi已被证明是研究特定基因及其相应蛋白质的作用的有力方法，并且可以与转基因技术结合使用，以产生可以实现特定蛋白质丰度降低的动物。这些基因操作可以与研究衰老的传统方法一起使用（例如，寿命研究，横断面病理学研究），以直接测试特定基因在衰老中的作用。转基因核心的主要功能是使基因操纵的啮齿动物的衰老研究。该核心对于有兴趣研究特定基因在衰老和年龄相关疾病中的作用的研究人员至关重要。因此，转基因核心的具体目的是：1.生产和鉴定转基因创始小鼠和大鼠。2.协助研究人员生产携带基因敲除的小鼠。3.为从事转基因啮齿动物研究的学生、博士后研究员、研究人员和实验室人员提供教育活动。4.在有需要时采用新技术培育基因改造啮齿类动物。

The ability to produce defined changes in individual genes through transgenic and gene knockout technologies has provided investigators with powerful tools for understanding the role of specific genes and their corresponding proteins in a variety of biological processes and with the ability to monitor changes in genomic integrity in virtually every cell and tissue type, including post mitotic tissues. Sophisticated methods of regulating gene expression with molecular switches (e.g., tetracycline binary system of gene regulation, Cre recombinase-mediated regulation of sequences flanked by lox P sites) combined with transgenic and gene knockout technologies are facilitating investigations into the roles of specific genes in aging in adult animals by bypassing embryonic expression. Most recently, RNAi has been shown to be a powerful method for studying the role of specific genes and their corresponding proteins and can be used in conjunction with transgenic technology to produce animals in which reduced abundance of specific proteins can be achieved. These genetic manipulations can be used with traditional methods of studying aging (e.g., lifespan studies, cross-sectional pathology studies) to test directly the role of specific genes in aging. The major function of the Transgenic Core is to make genetically manipulated rodents for aging studies. This Core is essential for investigators interested in studying the roles of specific genes in aging and age-related diseases. Accordingly, the Specific Aims of the Transgenic Core are: 1. To produce and identify transgenic founder mice and rats. 2. To assist investigators in the production of mice carrying gene knockouts. 3. To provide educational activities for students, postdoctoral fellows, investigators, and laboratory personnel engaged in using transgenic rodents. 4. To implement new technologies for generating genetically engineered rodents as the need arises.