codon-improved Cre (iCre) and RFP Adenovirus

Cre Recombinase is a Type I topoisomerase from bacteriophage P1 that catalyzes the site-specific recombination of DNA between loxP sites. loxP is a 34 bp DNA sequence at which confers directionality. Cre recombinase is used as a tool to genetically modify genes, such as to delete a segment of DNA flanked by LoxP sites in cells or experimental animals.

By applying the mammalian codon usage to Cre recombinase, expression of Cre is improved in the mammalian cells. This improved Cre (iCre) gene also reduce the high CpG content of the prokaryotic coding sequence, thereby reducing the chances of epigenetic silencing in mammals.

This adenovirus expresses both a codon improved Cre recombinase (iCre), and a RFP protein as fluorescent marker. Cre and RFP are driven by the same CMV promoter and separated by 2A peptides.

Check out this instruction video on using our adenovirus Cre to knockout LoxP flanked gene in primary mouse embryonic fibroblasts (MEF).