General or cell type-specific deletion and replacement of connexin-coding DNA in the mouse

Here we describe several gene targeting approaches currently used in our laboratory for the generation of deletion or replacement mutants of connexin genes in the mouse and discuss the advantage of the double-replacement strategy for the generation of conditional mutants. For the analysis of complementary functions of connexins, it will be necessary to generate mice with mutations in several connexin genes. We also report how this can be effectively accomplished. The replacement of targeted connexin-coding DNA with a reporter gene, to mimic expression of the deleted gene product, is currently being used in several laboratories. The use of different reporter genes or their differently localized gene products could allow distinction of promoter activity in double or triple connexin mutant mice. (C) 2000 Academic Press.