Proposed use
Diabetes research.
Technology overview
The relevant sequence in the transgenic incorporates a bidirectional tetracyclin regulated promoter, which drives expression of both human ZnT8 Myc and firefly luciferase. This allows ZnT8 expression to be controlled by tetracycline and the sites at which it occurs to be easily identified. Zinc transporter 8 (ZnT8), encoded by SLC30A8, is chiefly expressed within pancreatic islet cells, where it mediates zinc (Zn2[1]) uptake into secretory granules. Although a common nonsynonymous polymorphism (R325W), which lowers activity, is associated with increased type 2 diabetes (T2D) risk, rare inactivating mutations in SLC30A8 have been reported to protect against T2D.
Benefits
- ZnT8 expression controlled by tetracycline and the sites at which it occurs are easily identified.
- Associated with increased type 2 diabetes (T2D) risk
- Rare inactivating mutations in SLC30A8 have been reported to protect against T2D.
Intellectual property information
Reagent/material
Inventor information

contact
Alexandra Skeaping
a.skeaping@imperial.ac.uk
+44 (0)20 7594 7021