Vil1-MerCreMer Mouse

The VIL1 gene encodes the Villin 1 protein, which belongs to the calcium-regulated actin-binding protein family and is a major part of the brush border cell cytoskeleton, playing a role in actin filament capping, severing, and bundling. Villin 1 is an epithelial cell-specific Ca(2+)-regulated actin-modifying protein that regulates the reorganization of microvillar actin filaments, playing a role in actin nucleation, actin filament bundle assembly, actin filament capping, and severing. VIL1 is selectively expressed in epithelial cells in the gastrointestinal tract, gallbladder, and renal tubules.

Vil1-MerCreMer mice were generated by inserting a Tamoxifen-inducible Cre recombinase protein MerCreMer gene expression element controlled by the mouse Vil1 promoter into the mouse H11 safe harbor site. Before induction, MerCreMer is only present in the cytoplasm and can only enter the nucleus to exert its recombination effect after Tamoxifen treatment. When bred with mice containing a loxP site-flanked sequence, Cre recombinase-mediated deletion of the flanked sequence will occur in the villous and crypt epithelial cells of the small and large intestines of the offspring after Tamoxifen induction. The onset of endogenous mouse Vil1 gene expression is at 9.0dpc, and the onset of Cre recombinase expression in this strain is approximately 12.5dpc.