The goal of this group project is to develop a mouse model system for studying how mutations in the murine (mouse) IGF-1 gene might impact body size and lifespan in the mouse. (To learn about IGF-1 and how it functions to regulate growth, longevity, and cancer susceptibility, see the review I have posted in the discussion titled "Group Project Resources." Also in this discussion, you will find other resources related to molecular and cellular biology techniques.)
As part of this project, your goals are to:
Clone the mouse IGF-1 gene. You will need to discover how to isolate the IGF-1 gene from a mouse and place the gene into a vector for further analysis and use. Remember, you need to isolate the gene, not the mRNA/cDNA.
Characterize tissue expression patterns of mouse IGF-1 mRNA and protein. This section should explain how you will analyze tissue expression patterns in the wild type and knock out mice. These techniques are general techniques used to monitor mRNA and protein levels in the mice.
Introduce mutations into the cloned IGF-1 gene, and determine whether these mutations affect expression of the gene*. This section should explain how you plan to introduce mutations into your isolated IGF-1 gene. This mutated gene will then be used in the next step to create the knockin mice.
Generate an IGF-1 "knockin" mouse. Here, you will "knockin" your mutated IGF-1 gene into the mouse IGF-1 locus so that you can finally determine whether the mutations you have made in the gene will affect mouse size and lifespan.
*Any of the assays you work out to monitor expression of the normal mouse IGF-1 gene can then be used to assess expression of the mutated versions of the gene that you will be constructing.â¨â¨
During the course of the semester each group will post their progress on each goal (1 - 4 above) in the appropriate conference area. This will allow everyone to read and discuss the ideas in progress. This process is meant to enhance each groups project and come up with the best solutions to our challenge of characterizing IGF-1 in the normal mouse and the âknock-inâ mouse.
The goal of this group project is to develop a mouse model system for studying how mutations in the murine (mouse) IGF-1 gene might impact body size and lifespan in the mouse. (To learn about IGF-1 and how it functions to regulate growth, longevity, and cancer susceptibility, see the review I have posted in the discussion titled "Group Project Resources." Also in this discussion, you will find other resources related to molecular and cellular biology techniques.)
As part of this project, your goals are to:
Clone the mouse IGF-1 gene. You will need to discover how to isolate the IGF-1 gene from a mouse and place the gene into a vector for further analysis and use. Remember, you need to isolate the gene, not the mRNA/cDNA.
Characterize tissue expression patterns of mouse IGF-1 mRNA and protein. This section should explain how you will analyze tissue expression patterns in the wild type and knock out mice. These techniques are general techniques used to monitor mRNA and protein levels in the mice.
Introduce mutations into the cloned IGF-1 gene, and determine whether these mutations affect expression of the gene*. This section should explain how you plan to introduce mutations into your isolated IGF-1 gene. This mutated gene will then be used in the next step to create the knockin mice.
Generate an IGF-1 "knockin" mouse. Here, you will "knockin" your mutated IGF-1 gene into the mouse IGF-1 locus so that you can finally determine whether the mutations you have made in the gene will affect mouse size and lifespan.
*Any of the assays you work out to monitor expression of the normal mouse IGF-1 gene can then be used to assess expression of the mutated versions of the gene that you will be constructing.â¨â¨
During the course of the semester each group will post their progress on each goal (1 - 4 above) in the appropriate conference area. This will allow everyone to read and discuss the ideas in progress. This process is meant to enhance each groups project and come up with the best solutions to our challenge of characterizing IGF-1 in the normal mouse and the âknock-inâ mouse.
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