Velo-cardio-facial syndrome (VCFS)/DiGeorge syndrome (DGS) is a human disor
der characterized by a number of phenotypic features including cardiovascul
ar defects. Most VCFS/DGS patients are hemizygous for a 1.5-3.0 Mb region o
f 22q11. To investigate the etiology of this disorder, we used a cre-loxP s
trategy to generate mice that are hemizygous for a 1.5 Mb deletion correspo
nding to that on 22q11. These mice exhibit significant perinatal lethality
and have conotruncal and parathyroid defects. The conotruncal defects can b
e partially rescued by a human BAC containing the TBX1 gene. Mice heterozyg
ous for a null mutation in Tbx1 develop conotruncal defects. These results
together with the expression patterns of Tbx1 suggest a major role for this
gene in the molecular etiology of VCFS/DGS.