The targeting vector inserted into the locus was designed with (from 5' to 3') a 5' homology arm, a ubiquitously expressed CAG promoter, loxP-flanked 3xSV40 polyA stop cassette, a 3X-FLAG epitope tag, a mammalian codon-optimized cas9 gene (derived from Streptococcus pyogenes CRISPR associated protein 9 [SpCas9]) flanked by two nuclear localization signals, a P2A ribosomal skip cleavage peptide sequence, an enhanced Green Fluorescent Protein (EGFP) gene, a woodchuck hepatitis virus post-transcriptional regulatory element, bovine growth hormone polyA, pPGK-Neo-pA positive selection cassette and a 3' homology arm. Cre-mediated recombination removed the floxed STOP cassette.