Taconic inked a deal to use GE Healthcare’s Aequorea victoria green fluorescent protein (AvGFP) in rodent models. The agreement gives Taconic a worldwide, nonexclusive license to use various patented AvGFP variants in the generation and commercialization of genetically modified rodent models.
Taconic may distribute these models to investigators in pharmaceutical companies, academic institutions, and other research facilities. Taconic may also distribute AvGFP mouse and rat lines generated by academic institutions on a worldwide basis.
Isolated from jellyfish, AvGFP is intrinsically fluorescent, enabling assays to be conducted without the need for exogenous substrates. Modified AvGFP variants contain patented, performance-enhancing mutations that result in a brighter fluorescence at biological temperatures and offer a range of colors, Taconic explains.
AvGFP is commonly used as a genetically encoded reporter, allowing investigators to observe gene activity in particular cells or tissues. In combination with specifically applied genetic engineering technologies, AvGFP may also be used to analyze the activity of selected target genes by tagging the proteins that are connected with disease mechanisms in vivo. AvGFP technology also can help to assess and monitor the fate of certain cell types using imaging technology.