Principal Investigator Bevin Engelward
Project Website http://web.mit.edu/engelward-lab/FYDR.htm
Despite its central role in genome maintenance, until recently, it was not possible to study homologous recombination in most cell types of a mammal. Therefore, in this laboratory, we developed a novel approach for studying homologous recombination that is based on a transgenic reporter that is inserted into the mouse genome. Homologous recombination events at the reporter sequence can give rise to a fluorescent readout by reconstituting full length enhance yellow fluorescent protein (EYFP) coding sequence. These Fluorescent Yellow Direct Repeat (FYDR) 'recombomice' provide a new way to study homologous recombination and have been used in a variety of studies. Using the FYDR mice we learned that cells harboring sequence rearrangements accumulate with age, that recombination is an active repair pathway in the adult mammalian pancreas, and that recombinant cells can persist and clonally expand during aging.
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