Pseudotyped retroviruses for infecting axolotl

Methods Mol Biol. 2015:1290:127-40. doi: 10.1007/978-1-4939-2495-0_10.

Abstract

The ability to introduce DNA elements into host cells and analyze the effects has revolutionized modern biology. Here we describe a protocol to generate Moloney murine leukemia virus (MMLV)-based, replication-incompetent pseudotyped retrovirus capable of infecting axolotls and incorporating genetic information into their genome. When pseudotyped with vesicular stomatitis virus (VSV)-G glycoprotein, the retroviruses can infect a broad range of proliferative axolotl cell types. However, if the retrovirus is pseudotyped with an avian sarcoma leukosis virus (ASLV)-A envelope protein, only axolotl cells experimentally manipulated to express the cognate tumor virus A (TVA) receptor can be targeted by infections. These strategies enable robust transgene expression over many cell divisions, cell lineage tracing, and cell subtype targeting for gene expression.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Alpharetrovirus / genetics
  • Ambystoma mexicanum / embryology
  • Ambystoma mexicanum / virology*
  • Animals
  • Extremities / embryology
  • Genetic Vectors / genetics
  • HEK293 Cells
  • Humans
  • Moloney murine leukemia virus / genetics*
  • Moloney murine leukemia virus / physiology*
  • Open Reading Frames / genetics
  • Plasmids / genetics
  • Transfection / methods*
  • Viral Load