Cloned origin of DNA replication in c-myc gene can function and be transmitted in transgenic mice in an episomal state.

The c-myc protein has recently been shown to interact with a region possessing putative origin of DNA replication and enhancer activities located 2 kb upstream of the c-myc gene itself. Transgenic mice were obtained by injecting constructs containing this region, termed pmyc(H-P), into fertilized mouse eggs. The transgenic elements were capable of efficient replication in all mouse tissues examined and were maintained in an episomal state even in highly differentiated cells. Moreover, pmyc(H-P) was transmittable to the progeny throughout several generations, which suggests that the fragment derived from the region upstream of the c-myc gene possesses sequences necessary for partition, stability and DNA replication of the plasmid in the cells. In addition, we have shown that the plasmid might be captured only by eggs, not by sperm.