Generation and characterization of the PKCγ-Cre mouse line

PKC gamma is a protein kinase C (PKC) isoform that is expressed in the central nervous system (CNS). We generated a PKC gamma-Cre mouse line and characterized the expression and activity of the Cre protein. Our studies show that Cre expression largely recapitulates the endogenous expression of PKC gamma. Several major sites of Cre expression are the cerebral cortex, hippocampus, thalamus, amygdala, and spinal cord. Examination of PKC gamma-Cre/ROSA26 mice reveals a similar X-gal staining pattern in the CNS, indicating that Cre recombinase is capable of removing LoxP sites in vivo. These data indicate that the PKC gamma-Cre mouse line could be a useful reagent for generating Cre-mediated tissue-specific knockouts in the CNS.