Myh6-Cre transgenic mouse line was known to express Cre recombinase only in the heart. Nevertheless, during breeding Myh6-Cre to Rosa26fstdTom reporter (tdTom) mouse line, we observed that a significant part of their F2 tdTom/+ offspring had tdTom reporter gene universally activated. Our results show that Myh6-Cre transgenic mice have Cre recombinase activity in a subpopulation of the male germline cells, and that Myh6 gene transcripts are enriched in the interstitial Leydig cells and the undifferentiated spermatogonia stem cells. In summary, the current study confirms that the previously known "heart-specific" Myh6 promoter drives Cre expression in the testis.

Department of Human Genetics University of Michigan Ann Arbor MI USA

Department of Human Genetics University of Michigan Ann Arbor MI USA; Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology University of Michigan Ann Arbor MI USA; Cellular and Molecular Biology Program University of Michigan Ann Arbor MI USA; Department of Urology University of Michigan Ann Arbor MI USA

Masonic Medical Research Institute 2150 Bleecker Street Utica NY 13501 United States of America

Masonic Medical Research Institute 2150 Bleecker Street Utica NY 13501 United States of America; Department of Medicine Division of Cardiology Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center Boston MA 02115 USA; Department of Biological Chemistry and Molecular Pharmacology Harvard Medical School Boston MA USA

School of Life Science and Technology ShanghaiTech University 393 Middle Huaxia Road Pudong Shanghai 201210 China

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