Gene Targeting and Transgenic Models

Principal Investigator: Assoc. Prof. Kasım DİRİL

IBG Gene Targeting and Transgenic Models Platform has established research laboratories and state of the art technological infrastructure. Our platform will provide services and collaborative support to internal and external researchers working in basic and translational biomedical sciences, whose work involve or require the generation of genetically-engineered mouse models.

In addition to the services we offer, our lab is interested in investigating rare genetic disorders utilizing transgenic mouse models.

Research Support and Services

Generation of knockout and knockin mouse models: Our research platform invites researchers to collaborate with us for the generation of knockout and knockin mouse models for their favourite genes. We offer collaborations starting from initial planning and vector design stage to the final establishment of a genetically modified mouse colony.

We have, quite recently, created our first knockin mouse model for a new rare genetic disorder (see News tab). We are currently developing several transgenic disease models. We are ready to collaborate with interested partners who need to generate novel genetically modified mouse models.

Mouse embryo cryopreservation and rederivation: The technological infrastructure for embryo cryopreservation and rederivation has been recently completed. After establishment of the relevant protocols, we will provide services to internal and external users who wish to store their transgenic mouse strains long term.

SERVICES - Currently provided

Services we currently provide are listed below. Please contact us via e-mail for further details, pricing and conditions of the services.

1. Knockout (indel)

2. Knockout (deletion)

3. Knockin (point mutations)

4. Knockin (epitope tags)

5. ESC gene targeting

6. Sperm cryopreservation

7. Embryo transfer and mouse strain rederivation

8. PNI (pronuclear injection)

9. IVF (in vitro fertilization)

SERVICES - In development

The services listed below are within our technical expertise,  although we do not routinely apply these protocols.

1. Embryo cryopreservation

2. ESC microinjection

Publications

• M. Kasim Diril, Kerem Esmen, Tugba Sehitogullari, Gizem Öztürk. Generation of albino C57BL/6J mice by CRISPR embryo editing of the mouse tyrosinase locus. Journal of Genetics. 2025 January ; 104 . doi:https://doi.org/10.1007/s12041-025-01493-1. İndir
• Abu Alhaija AA, Lone IN, Ozkuru Sekeroglu E, Batur T, Angelov D, Dimitrov S, Hamiche A, Firat Karalar EN, Ercan ME, Yagci T, Alotaibi H, Diril MK. Development of a mouse embryonic stem cell model for investigating the functions of the linker histone H1-4.. FEBS open bio. 2024 February. doi:10.1002/2211-5463.13750. İndir
• Diril MK, Erguven M. Genetic dissection of the Mastl-Arpp19/ENSAPP2A-B55δ pathway in mammalian cells. Turkish Journal of Biochemistry. 2023 April ; 48 (2) : 1-13. doi:10.1515/tjb-2022-0191. İndir
• Erguven M, Kilic S, Karaca E, Diril MK.. Genetic complementation screening and molecular docking give new insight on phosphorylation-dependent Mastl kinase activation. Journal of Biomolecular Structure and Dynamics. 2022 October . doi:10.1080/07391102.2022.2131627. İndir
• Erguven M, Karakulak T, Diril MK, Karaca E. How Far Are We from the Rapid Prediction of Drug Resistance Arising Due to Kinase Mutations?. ACS omega. 2021 January ; 6 (2) : 1254-1265. doi:10.1021/acsomega.0c04672. İndir

Projects

The Scientific and Technological Research Council of Türkiye (TÜBİTAK) – R&D: Investigation of the Mitotic Functions of Ensa and Arpp19 Proteins, Completed

DEU BAP – Dokuz Eylül University Scientific Research Projects Coordination Unit – R&D: Chemical-genetic analysis of the mitotic functions of Mastl kinase, Completed

The Scientific and Technological Research Council of Türkiye (TÜBİTAK) – R&D: Development of methods for the local production of transgenic mouse models, Started, Ongoing

The Scientific and Technological Research Council of Türkiye (TÜBİTAK) – R&D: Development and phenotypic characterization of a transgenic mouse model for a neurodevelopmental rare genetic disorder, Started, Ongoing

Turkish Health Institutes Presidency (TÜSEB) – R&D: Production of humanized liver model FRG knockout mice, Started, Ongoing

Staff

Active Members

Kerem Esmen
Keziban Korkmaz Bayram - PhD, Asst. Prof.
Ayşe Miray Oto
Nazlıcan Kesmik
Emre Kalay
Gökdeniz Aksu

Former Members

Mehmet Ergüven
Seval Kılıç - PhD
Gizem Öztürk
Liubovi Sopco
Berfin Yıldız