Fig. 1

Generation and characterization of 14-3-3ζ knockout mice. a Schematic map showing that the gene trap vector integrated into intron 3 of the 14-3-3ζ gene (Ywhaz). Ywhaz is the HUGO Gene Nomenclature Committee—approved gene symbol for 14-3-3ζ. The lines represent the introns for the 14-3-3ζ gene and the rectangles signify the exons. The solid sections indicate the coding region for 14-3-3ζ protein. The gene trap vector pGT0Lxf was integrated ~ 3.3 kb downstream of exon 3. SA indicates the splice acceptor sequence of mouse En2 exon 2. β-Geo/pA indicates the fusion of β-galactosidase and neomycin transferase followed by SV40 polyadenylation signal. The arrows indicate the primers for genotyping. The scale bar represents 1 kb length of DNA sequence. b PCR genotyping for 14-3-3ζ knockout mice: +/+, +/-, and −/− indicate 14-3-3ζ wild-type, heterozygous, and homozygous mutant alleles, respectively. M indicates marker. Wild-type allele generated a 954-bp band, and the mutant allele generated a 544-bp PCR product. c Western blot confirming the loss of 14-3-3ζ expression in mouse embryonic fibroblast (MEF) cells. β-Actin served as loading control. Quantification of relative 14-3-3ζ expression level was shown below the western panel. d Immunohistochemical (IHC) staining of 14-3-3ζ expression in the neonatal lung tissue dissected from +/+ and −/− mice. Scale bar indicates 50 µm in length