EMBRYONICALLY MODIFIED ANIMAL AND METHOD OF CONSTRUCTING THE SAME

摘要

A method of efficiently constructing a reproducible animal by using a totipotent cell having a mitochondrial DNA (for example, wilt type DNA) compatible with the nuclear DNA into its mitochondrial DNA via transfer or substitution; and an animal constructed thereby. In the case where the totipotent cell is an ES cell originating in an inbred strain mouse, it is desirable to employ the tetraploid rescue method. In constructing a chimeric animal, the mitochondrial DNA originating in a totipotent cell of the animal employed is substituted by a wild type mitochondrial DNA by the backcross mating method, the nuclear substitution method or the like and then injected into a tetraploid fertilized egg. Thus, a reproducible inbred strain chimeric animal is constructed while avoiding the risk of the death of the obtained animal due to respiratory disturbance, etc. immediately after birth. The reproducible inbred strain chimeric animal thus obtained is usable in gene function analyses, animal experiments, etc. without resort to troublesome inbred strain procedures.