Position independent and copy-number-related expression of the bovine neonatal Fc receptor α-chain in transgenic mice carrying a 102 kb BAC genomic fragment

We generated and characterized transgenic mice carrying a 102 kb bovine genomic fragment, encoding the neonatal Fc receptor alpha-chain (bFcRn). FcRn plays a crucial role in the maternal IgG transport and it also regulates the IgG and albumin homeostasis. Some of its functions and transcriptional regulation show species specific differences. The FcRn heterodimer is composed of the alpha-chain and beta-2-microglobulin (beta 2 m). A bacterial artificial chromosome containing the bovine FcRn alpha-chain gene (bFCGRT) with its 44 kb 5' and 50 kb long 3' flanking sequences was microinjected into fertilized mouse oocytes. Two of the transgenic lines generated, showed copy number related and integration site independent bFcRn expression. The bFcRn alpha-chain forms a functional receptor with the mouse beta 2-microglobulin and extends the half-life of the mouse IgG in transgenic mice. Our results underline the feasibility of creating BAC transgenic mouse models of economically important bovine genes.