Temporal Control of Retroviral Transgene Expression in Newborn Cells in the Adult Brain

• Inducible TF-ERT2 vectors enable increased neuronal differentiation of NSPCs in vitro
• TF-ERT2 vectors allow temporal control of TFs in transduced NSPCs in the adult brain
• Versatile strategy to genetically manipulate neurogenic cells in the adult brain

SummaryNeural stem/progenitor cells (NSPCs) generate new neurons throughout life in distinct areas of the adult mammalian brain. Besides classical transgenesis-based approaches, retrovirus-mediated genetic manipulation is frequently used to study mechanisms that regulate neurogenesis in the nervous system. Here, we show that fusion of a tamoxifen-regulatable estrogen receptor (ERT2) motif to transcription factors (i.e., ASCL1 and NEUROD1) enables temporal control of transgene expression in adult mouse NSPCs in vitro and in vivo. Thus, the approach described here represents a versatile strategy for regulating gene expression to study gene function in dividing cells and their progeny.

Graphical AbstractFigure optionsDownload as PowerPoint slide