Generation of a mouse model for a conditional inactivation of Gtf2i allele

Summary The multifunctional transcription factor TFII‐I encoded by the Gtf2i gene is expressed at the two‐cell stage, inner cell mass, trophectoderm, and early gastrula stages of the mouse embryo. In embryonic stem cells, TFII‐I colocalizes with bivalent domains and depletion of Gtf2i causes embryonic lethality, neural tube closure, and craniofacial defects. To gain insight into the function of TFII‐I during late embryonic and postnatal stages, we have generated a conditional Gtf2i null allele by flanking exon 3 with loxP sites. Crossing the floxed line with the Hprt‐Cre transgenic mice resulted in inactivation of Gtf2i in one‐cell embryo. The Cre‐mediated deletion of exon 3 recapitulates a genetic null phenotype, indicating that the conditional Gtf2i line is a valuable tool for studying TFII‐I function during embryonic development. genesis 54:407–412, 2016. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.