Tristetraprolin (TTP) Knockout Mice
National Institutes of Health researchers have developed knockout mice that do not express Tristetraprolin (TTP). TTP is an AU-rich element (ARE) binding protein and the prototype of a family of CCCH zinc finger proteins. AREs were identified as conserved sequences found in the 3’ untranslated region (3’ UTR) of a variety of transiently expressed genes including early response genes, proto-oncogenes, and other growth regulatory genes. AREs function as instability sequences that target ARE-containing transcripts for rapid mRNA decay.