A multifunctional teal-fluorescent Rosa26 reporter mouse line for Cre- and Flp-mediated recombination

Reporters of Cre and/or Flp activity are important for defining the spatial and temporal extent of Cre/Flp-mediated recombination. Here, we describe R26-CAG-LF-mTFP1, a multifunctional fluorescent reporter mouse that strongly expresses mTFP1 (bright teal fluorescent protein) after Cre- and Flp-mediated recombination. To meet the need for single recombinase-mediated reporter expression, we generated derivatives of R26-CAG-LF-mTFP1. The germline excision of the Frt-flanked stop cassette in R26-CAG-LF-mTFP1 generated a Cre-dependent reporter (R26-CAG-LoxP-mTFP1). Similarly, R26-CAG-FRT-mTFP1, in which the loxP-flanked stop cassette was excised in the germline, requires only Flp to activate mTFP1 expression.

► We generated a new Cre/Flp fluorescent reporter mouse strain (R26-CAG-LF-mTFP1). ► To meet the need for single recombinase-mediated reporter expression, we generated derivatives of R26-CAG-LF-mTFP1. ► We evaluated these reporter mouse strains in the central nervous system.