Combined deficiencies of Src, Fyn, and Yes tyrosine kinases in mutant mice

Abstract

Three members of the Src family of tyrosine kinases, src, fyn, and yes, are broadly expressed throughout mouse development. Mutations in the c-src and fyn genes were shown previously to lead to restricted nonoverlapping phenotypes only in a subset of cells in which these kinases are expressed. In this work we show that a mutation in the yes gene does not lead to an overt phenotype. Except for brain, the level or distribution of related kinases is not altered in major tissues. To gain further insight into the possibility that these kinases compensate for each other, animals deficient in multiple src-kinases were generated. Whereas most of the src/fyn or src/yes double mutants die perinatally, a substantial proportion of fyn/yes double mutants are viable but undergo degenerative renal changes leading to diffuse segmental glomerulosclerosis. Taken together, these data are consistent with the hypothesis that, at least in some cells, these kinases are able to compensate for the loss of the other related kinases.