Stra8-P2A-ZsGreen1-T2A-Cre Mouse

The STRA8 gene encodes a meiosis-inducing factor required for the transition of both male and female germ cells to meiosis. It is involved in activating meiosis, cellular responses to retinoic acid, and germ cell development. STRA8 expression is limited to germ cells before meiosis. In females, STRA8 protein is expressed in embryos and ovaries. In males, it is expressed in the testes during puberty and adulthood, as well as in pre-meiotic germ cells, including certain A-type and B-type spermatogonia, preleptotene spermatocytes, and early leptotene spermatocytes (at the protein level). Expression begins in late undifferentiated spermatogonia and continues during differentiated spermatogonia (protein level).

The Stra8-P2A-ZsGreen1-T2A-Cre mouse is generated by inserting the “P2A-ZsGreen1-T2A-Cre” cassette upstream of the stop codon of the mouse Stra8 gene. Cre recombinase is expressed under the regulatory control of mouse Stra8 gene elements. When crossed with mice containing loxP sites, the offspring can undergo sequence recombination between loxP sites in spermatogonial cells mediated by Cre recombinase. The heterozygotes are viable and fertile.