Creation of a transgenic mouse for hair-cell gene targeting by using a modified bacterial artificial chromosome containing Prestin.

We made a transgenic mouse that expresses Cre recombinase activity in inner ear hair cells by using a modified bacterial artificial chromosome containing Prestin. Cre recombinase activity was restricted to inner and outer hair cells, a subset of vestibular hair cells, spiral and vestibular ganglia in the inner ear, and a subset of cells in the testis, epididymis, and ear bone. This mouse will be useful for hair-cell-specific gene targeting.