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A Primer Genetic Toolkit for Exploring Mitochondrial Biology and Disease Using Zebrafish. Genes (Basel) 2022; 13:genes13081317. [PMID: 35893052 PMCID: PMC9331066 DOI: 10.3390/genes13081317] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/25/2022] [Revised: 07/14/2022] [Accepted: 07/19/2022] [Indexed: 02/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Mitochondria are a dynamic eukaryotic innovation that play diverse roles in biology and disease. The mitochondrial genome is remarkably conserved in all vertebrates, encoding the same 37-gene set and overall genomic structure, ranging from 16,596 base pairs (bp) in the teleost zebrafish (Danio rerio) to 16,569 bp in humans. Mitochondrial disorders are amongst the most prevalent inherited diseases, affecting roughly 1 in every 5000 individuals. Currently, few effective treatments exist for those with mitochondrial ailments, representing a major unmet patient need. Mitochondrial dysfunction is also a common component of a wide variety of other human illnesses, ranging from neurodegenerative disorders such as Huntington’s disease and Parkinson’s disease to autoimmune illnesses such as multiple sclerosis and rheumatoid arthritis. The electron transport chain (ETC) component of mitochondria is critical for mitochondrial biology and defects can lead to many mitochondrial disease symptoms. Here, we present a publicly available collection of genetic mutants created in highly conserved, nuclear-encoded mitochondrial genes in Danio rerio. The zebrafish system represents a potentially powerful new opportunity for the study of mitochondrial biology and disease due to the large number of orthologous genes shared with humans and the many advanced features of this model system, from genetics to imaging. This collection includes 15 mutant lines in 13 different genes created through locus-specific gene editing to induce frameshift or splice acceptor mutations, leading to predicted protein truncation during translation. Additionally, included are 11 lines created by the random insertion of the gene-breaking transposon (GBT) protein trap cassette. All these targeted mutant alleles truncate conserved domains of genes critical to the proper function of the ETC or genes that have been implicated in human mitochondrial disease. This collection is designed to accelerate the use of zebrafish to study many different aspects of mitochondrial function to widen our understanding of their role in biology and human disease.
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2
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Maciag M, Wnorowski A, Bednarz K, Plazinska A. Evaluation of β-adrenergic ligands for development of pharmacological heart failure and transparency models in zebrafish. Toxicol Appl Pharmacol 2022; 434:115812. [PMID: 34838787 DOI: 10.1016/j.taap.2021.115812] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/06/2021] [Revised: 10/25/2021] [Accepted: 11/22/2021] [Indexed: 10/19/2022]
Abstract
Cardiovascular toxicity represents one of the most common reasons for clinical trial failure. Consequently, early identification of novel cardioprotective strategies could prevent the later-stage drug-induced cardiac side effects. The use of zebrafish (Danio rerio) in preclinical studies has greatly increased. High-throughput and low-cost of assays make zebrafish model ideal for initial drug discovery. A common strategy to induce heart failure is a chronic β-adrenergic (βAR) stimulation. Herein, we set out to test a panel of βAR agonists to develop a pharmacological heart failure model in zebrafish. We assessed βAR agonists with respect to the elicited mortality, changes in heart rate, and morphological alterations in zebrafish larvae according to Fish Embryo Acute Toxicity Test. Among the tested βAR agonists, epinephrine elicited the most potent onset of heart stimulation (EC50 = 0.05 mM), which corresponds with its physiological role as catecholamine. However, when used at ten-fold higher dose (0.5 mM), the same compound caused severe heart rate inhibition (-28.70 beats/min), which can be attributed to its cardiotoxicity. Further studies revealed that isoetharine abolished body pigmentation at the sublethal dose of 7.50 mM. Additionally, as a proof of concept that zebrafish can mimic human cardiac physiology, we tested βAR antagonists (propranolol, carvedilol, metoprolol, and labetalol) and verified that they inhibited fish heart rate in a similar fashion as in humans. In conclusion, we proposed two novel pharmacological models in zebrafish; i.e., epinephrine-dependent heart failure and isoetharine-dependent transparent zebrafish. We provided strong evidence that the zebrafish model constitutes a valuable tool for cardiovascular research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Monika Maciag
- Department of Biopharmacy, Medical University of Lublin, 4a Chodzki Street, 20-093 Lublin, Poland; Independent Laboratory of Behavioral Studies, Medical University of Lublin, 4a Chodzki Street, 20-093 Lublin, Poland.
| | - Artur Wnorowski
- Department of Biopharmacy, Medical University of Lublin, 4a Chodzki Street, 20-093 Lublin, Poland.
| | - Kinga Bednarz
- Department of Biopharmacy, Medical University of Lublin, 4a Chodzki Street, 20-093 Lublin, Poland
| | - Anita Plazinska
- Department of Biopharmacy, Medical University of Lublin, 4a Chodzki Street, 20-093 Lublin, Poland.
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3
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Ichino N, Serres MR, Urban RM, Urban MD, Treichel AJ, Schaefbauer KJ, Greif LE, Varshney GK, Skuster KJ, McNulty MS, Daby CL, Wang Y, Liao HK, El-Rass S, Ding Y, Liu W, Anderson JL, Wishman MD, Sabharwal A, Schimmenti LA, Sivasubbu S, Balciunas D, Hammerschmidt M, Farber SA, Wen XY, Xu X, McGrail M, Essner JJ, Burgess SM, Clark KJ, Ekker SC. Building the vertebrate codex using the gene breaking protein trap library. eLife 2020; 9:54572. [PMID: 32779569 PMCID: PMC7486118 DOI: 10.7554/elife.54572] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/19/2019] [Accepted: 08/07/2020] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
One key bottleneck in understanding the human genome is the relative under-characterization of 90% of protein coding regions. We report a collection of 1200 transgenic zebrafish strains made with the gene-break transposon (GBT) protein trap to simultaneously report and reversibly knockdown the tagged genes. Protein trap-associated mRFP expression shows previously undocumented expression of 35% and 90% of cloned genes at 2 and 4 days post-fertilization, respectively. Further, investigated alleles regularly show 99% gene-specific mRNA knockdown. Homozygous GBT animals in ryr1b, fras1, tnnt2a, edar and hmcn1 phenocopied established mutants. 204 cloned lines trapped diverse proteins, including 64 orthologs of human disease-associated genes with 40 as potential new disease models. Severely reduced skeletal muscle Ca2+ transients in GBT ryr1b homozygous animals validated the ability to explore molecular mechanisms of genetic diseases. This GBT system facilitates novel functional genome annotation towards understanding cellular and molecular underpinnings of vertebrate biology and human disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Noriko Ichino
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, United States
| | - MaKayla R Serres
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, United States
| | - Rhianna M Urban
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, United States
| | - Mark D Urban
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, United States
| | - Anthony J Treichel
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, United States
| | - Kyle J Schaefbauer
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, United States
| | - Lauren E Greif
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, United States
| | - Gaurav K Varshney
- Translational and Functional Genomics Branch, National Human Genome Research Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, United States.,Functional & Chemical Genomics Program, Oklahoma Medical Research Foundation, Oklahoma City, United States
| | - Kimberly J Skuster
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, United States
| | - Melissa S McNulty
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, United States
| | - Camden L Daby
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, United States
| | - Ying Wang
- Department of Genetics, Development and Cell Biology, Iowa State University, Ames, United States
| | - Hsin-Kai Liao
- Department of Genetics, Development and Cell Biology, Iowa State University, Ames, United States
| | - Suzan El-Rass
- Zebrafish Centre for Advanced Drug Discovery & Keenan Research Centre for Biomedical Science, Li Ka Shing Knowledge Institute, St. Michael's Hospital, Unity Health Toronto & University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada
| | - Yonghe Ding
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, United States.,Department of Cardiovascular Medicine, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, United States
| | - Weibin Liu
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, United States.,Department of Cardiovascular Medicine, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, United States
| | - Jennifer L Anderson
- Department of Embryology, Carnegie Institution for Science, Baltimore, United States
| | - Mark D Wishman
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, United States
| | - Ankit Sabharwal
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, United States
| | - Lisa A Schimmenti
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, United States.,Department of Clinical Genomics, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, United States.,Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, United States
| | - Sridhar Sivasubbu
- Genomics and Molecular Medicine Unit, CSIR-Institute of Genomics and Integrative Biology, Delhi, India
| | - Darius Balciunas
- Department of Biology, Temple University, Philadelphia, United States
| | - Matthias Hammerschmidt
- Institute of Zoology, Developmental Biology Unit, University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany
| | - Steven Arthur Farber
- Department of Embryology, Carnegie Institution for Science, Baltimore, United States
| | - Xiao-Yan Wen
- Zebrafish Centre for Advanced Drug Discovery & Keenan Research Centre for Biomedical Science, Li Ka Shing Knowledge Institute, St. Michael's Hospital, Unity Health Toronto & University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada
| | - Xiaolei Xu
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, United States.,Department of Cardiovascular Medicine, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, United States
| | - Maura McGrail
- Department of Genetics, Development and Cell Biology, Iowa State University, Ames, United States
| | - Jeffrey J Essner
- Department of Genetics, Development and Cell Biology, Iowa State University, Ames, United States
| | - Shawn M Burgess
- Translational and Functional Genomics Branch, National Human Genome Research Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, United States
| | - Karl J Clark
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, United States
| | - Stephen C Ekker
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, United States
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Shrestha R, Lieberth J, Tillman S, Natalizio J, Bloomekatz J. Using Zebrafish to Analyze the Genetic and Environmental Etiologies of Congenital Heart Defects. ADVANCES IN EXPERIMENTAL MEDICINE AND BIOLOGY 2020; 1236:189-223. [PMID: 32304074 DOI: 10.1007/978-981-15-2389-2_8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Congenital heart defects (CHDs) are among the most common human birth defects. However, the etiology of a large proportion of CHDs remains undefined. Studies identifying the molecular and cellular mechanisms that underlie cardiac development have been critical to elucidating the origin of CHDs. Building upon this knowledge to understand the pathogenesis of CHDs requires examining how genetic or environmental stress changes normal cardiac development. Due to strong molecular conservation to humans and unique technical advantages, studies using zebrafish have elucidated both fundamental principles of cardiac development and have been used to create cardiac disease models. In this chapter we examine the unique toolset available to zebrafish researchers and how those tools are used to interrogate the genetic and environmental contributions to CHDs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rabina Shrestha
- Department of Biology, University of Mississippi, Oxford, MS, USA
| | - Jaret Lieberth
- Department of Biology, University of Mississippi, Oxford, MS, USA
| | - Savanna Tillman
- Department of Biology, University of Mississippi, Oxford, MS, USA
| | - Joseph Natalizio
- Department of Biology, University of Mississippi, Oxford, MS, USA
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Rissone A, Jimenez E, Bishop K, Carrington B, Slevin C, Wincovitch SM, Sood R, Candotti F, Burgess SM. A model for reticular dysgenesis shows impaired sensory organ development and hair cell regeneration linked to cellular stress. Dis Model Mech 2019; 12:dmm040170. [PMID: 31727854 PMCID: PMC6955229 DOI: 10.1242/dmm.040170] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/23/2019] [Accepted: 11/05/2019] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Mutations in the gene AK2 are responsible for reticular dysgenesis (RD), a rare and severe form of primary immunodeficiency in children. RD patients have a severely shortened life expectancy and without treatment die, generally from sepsis soon after birth. The only available therapeutic option for RD is hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT). To gain insight into the pathophysiology of RD, we previously created zebrafish models for Ak2 deficiencies. One of the clinical features of RD is hearing loss, but its pathophysiology and causes have not been determined. In adult mammals, sensory hair cells of the inner ear do not regenerate; however, their regeneration has been observed in several non-mammalian vertebrates, including zebrafish. Therefore, we used our RD zebrafish models to determine whether Ak2 deficiency affects sensory organ development and/or hair cell regeneration. Our studies indicated that Ak2 is required for the correct development, survival and regeneration of sensory hair cells. Interestingly, Ak2 deficiency induces the expression of several oxidative stress markers and it triggers an increased level of cell death in the hair cells. Finally, we show that glutathione treatment can partially rescue hair cell development in the sensory organs in our RD models, pointing to the potential use of antioxidants as a therapeutic treatment supplementing HSCT to prevent or ameliorate sensorineural hearing deficits in RD patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alberto Rissone
- Translational and Functional Genomics Branch, National Human Genome Research Institute (NHGRI), National Institutes of Health (NIH), Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Erin Jimenez
- Translational and Functional Genomics Branch, National Human Genome Research Institute (NHGRI), National Institutes of Health (NIH), Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Kevin Bishop
- NHGRI Zebrafish Core, Translational and Functional Genomics Branch, NHGRI, NIH, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Blake Carrington
- NHGRI Zebrafish Core, Translational and Functional Genomics Branch, NHGRI, NIH, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Claire Slevin
- Translational and Functional Genomics Branch, National Human Genome Research Institute (NHGRI), National Institutes of Health (NIH), Bethesda, MD, USA
| | | | - Raman Sood
- Translational and Functional Genomics Branch, National Human Genome Research Institute (NHGRI), National Institutes of Health (NIH), Bethesda, MD, USA
- NHGRI Zebrafish Core, Translational and Functional Genomics Branch, NHGRI, NIH, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Fabio Candotti
- Division of Immunology and Allergy, Lausanne University Hospital and University of Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Shawn M Burgess
- Translational and Functional Genomics Branch, National Human Genome Research Institute (NHGRI), National Institutes of Health (NIH), Bethesda, MD, USA
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Rafferty SA, Quinn TA. A beginner's guide to understanding and implementing the genetic modification of zebrafish. PROGRESS IN BIOPHYSICS AND MOLECULAR BIOLOGY 2018; 138:3-19. [PMID: 30032905 DOI: 10.1016/j.pbiomolbio.2018.07.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 52] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/18/2018] [Revised: 07/07/2018] [Accepted: 07/10/2018] [Indexed: 02/05/2023]
Abstract
Zebrafish are a relevant and useful vertebrate model species to study normal- and patho-physiology, including that of the heart, due to conservation of protein-coding genes, organ system organisation and function, and efficient breeding and housing. Their amenability to genetic modification, particularly compared to other vertebrate species, is another great advantage, and is the focus of this review. A vast number of genetically engineered zebrafish lines and methods for their creation exist, but their incorporation into research programs is hindered by the overwhelming amount of technical details. The purpose of this paper is to provide a simplified guide to the fundamental information required by the uninitiated researcher for the thorough understanding, critical evaluation, and effective implementation of genetic approaches in the zebrafish. First, an overview of existing zebrafish lines generated through large scale chemical mutagenesis, retroviral insertional mutagenesis, and gene and enhancer trap screens is presented. Second, descriptions of commonly-used genetic modification methods are provided including Tol2 transposon, TALENs (transcription activator-like effector nucleases), and CRISPR/Cas9 (clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats/CRISPR-associated protein 9). Lastly, design features of genetic modification strategies such as promoters, fluorescent reporters, and conditional transgenesis, are summarised. As a comprehensive resource containing both background information and technical notes of how to obtain or generate zebrafish, this review compliments existing resources to facilitate the use of genetically-modified zebrafish by researchers who are new to the field.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sara A Rafferty
- Department of Physiology and Biophysics, Dalhousie University, Halifax, Canada
| | - T Alexander Quinn
- Department of Physiology and Biophysics, Dalhousie University, Halifax, Canada; School of Biomedical Engineering, Dalhousie University, Halifax, Canada.
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7
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Abstract
In the last 30 years, the zebrafish has become a widely used model organism for research on vertebrate development and disease. Through a powerful combination of genetics and experimental embryology, significant inroads have been made into the regulation of embryonic axis formation, organogenesis, and the development of neural networks. Research with this model has also expanded into other areas, including the genetic regulation of aging, regeneration, and animal behavior. Zebrafish are a popular model because of the ease with which they can be maintained, their small size and low cost, the ability to obtain hundreds of embryos on a daily basis, and the accessibility, translucency, and rapidity of early developmental stages. This primer describes the swift progress of genetic approaches in zebrafish and highlights recent advances that have led to new insights into vertebrate biology.
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Gerlai R, Poshusta TL, Rampersad M, Fernandes Y, Greenwood TM, Cousin MA, Klee EW, Clark KJ. Forward Genetic Screening Using Behavioral Tests in Zebrafish: A Proof of Concept Analysis of Mutants. Behav Genet 2016; 47:125-139. [DOI: 10.1007/s10519-016-9818-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/30/2015] [Accepted: 09/08/2016] [Indexed: 10/20/2022]
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Abstract
The zebrafish (Danio rerio) is a premier nonmammalian vertebrate model organism. This small aquatic fish is utilized in multiple disciplines in the Mayo Clinic community and by many laboratories around the world because of its biological similarity to humans, its advanced molecular genetics, the elucidation of its genome sequence, and the ever-expanding and outstanding new biological tools now available to the zebrafish researcher. The Mayo Clinic Zebrafish Facility (MCZF) houses ∼2,000 tanks annotated using an in-house, Internet cloud-based bar-coding system tied to our established zfishbook.org web infrastructure. Paramecia are the primary food source for larval fish rearing, using a simplified culture protocol described herein. The MCZF supports the specific ongoing research in a variety of laboratories, while also serving as a local hub for new scientists as they learn to tap into the potential of this model system for understanding normal development, disease, and as models of health.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ryan E Leveque
- Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Mayo Clinic , Rochester, Minnesota
| | - Karl J Clark
- Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Mayo Clinic , Rochester, Minnesota
| | - Stephen C Ekker
- Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Mayo Clinic , Rochester, Minnesota
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Yang J, Shah S, Olson TM, Xu X. Modeling GATAD1-Associated Dilated Cardiomyopathy in Adult Zebrafish. J Cardiovasc Dev Dis 2016; 3. [PMID: 28955713 PMCID: PMC5611887 DOI: 10.3390/jcdd3010006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/28/2023] Open
Abstract
Animal models have played a critical role in validating human dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM) genes, particularly those that implicate novel mechanisms for heart failure. However, the disease phenotype may be delayed due to age-dependent penetrance. For this reason, we generated an adult zebrafish model, which is a simpler vertebrate model with higher throughput than rodents. Specifically, we studied the zebrafish homologue of GATAD1, a recently identified gene for adult-onset autosomal recessive DCM. We showed cardiac expression of gatad1 transcripts, by whole mount in situ hybridization in zebrafish embryos, and demonstrated nuclear and sarcomeric I-band subcellular localization of Gatad1 protein in cardiomyocytes, by injecting a Tol2 plasmid encoding fluorescently-tagged Gatad1. We next generated gatad1 knock-out fish lines by TALEN technology and a transgenic fish line that expresses the human DCM GATAD1-S102P mutation in cardiomyocytes. Under stress conditions, longitudinal studies uncovered heart failure (HF)-like phenotypes in stable KO mutants and a tendency toward HF phenotypes in transgenic lines. Based on these efforts of studying a gene-based inherited cardiomyopathy model, we discuss the strengths and bottlenecks of adult zebrafish as a new vertebrate model for assessing candidate cardiomyopathy genes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jingchun Yang
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Mayo Clinic College of Medicine, 200 First St. SW Rochester, MN 55905, USA; (J.Y.); (S.S.)
| | - Sahrish Shah
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Mayo Clinic College of Medicine, 200 First St. SW Rochester, MN 55905, USA; (J.Y.); (S.S.)
| | - Timothy M. Olson
- Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Cardiovascular Diseases, Mayo Clinic College of Medicine, 200 First St. SW Rochester, MN 55905, USA;
- Department of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine, Division of Pediatric Cardiology, Mayo Clinic College of Medicine, 200 First St. SW Rochester, MN 55905, USA
| | - Xiaolei Xu
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Mayo Clinic College of Medicine, 200 First St. SW Rochester, MN 55905, USA; (J.Y.); (S.S.)
- Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Cardiovascular Diseases, Mayo Clinic College of Medicine, 200 First St. SW Rochester, MN 55905, USA;
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +1-507-284-0685; Fax: +1-507-538-6418
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Westcot SE, Hatzold J, Urban MD, Richetti SK, Skuster KJ, Harm RM, Lopez Cervera R, Umemoto N, McNulty MS, Clark KJ, Hammerschmidt M, Ekker SC. Protein-Trap Insertional Mutagenesis Uncovers New Genes Involved in Zebrafish Skin Development, Including a Neuregulin 2a-Based ErbB Signaling Pathway Required during Median Fin Fold Morphogenesis. PLoS One 2015; 10:e0130688. [PMID: 26110643 PMCID: PMC4482254 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0130688] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/25/2014] [Accepted: 05/24/2015] [Indexed: 01/13/2023] Open
Abstract
Skin disorders are widespread, but available treatments are limited. A more comprehensive understanding of skin development mechanisms will drive identification of new treatment targets and modalities. Here we report the Zebrafish Integument Project (ZIP), an expression-driven platform for identifying new skin genes and phenotypes in the vertebrate model Danio rerio (zebrafish). In vivo selection for skin-specific expression of gene-break transposon (GBT) mutant lines identified eleven new, revertible GBT alleles of genes involved in skin development. Eight genes—fras1, grip1, hmcn1, msxc, col4a4, ahnak, capn12, and nrg2a—had been described in an integumentary context to varying degrees, while arhgef25b, fkbp10b, and megf6a emerged as novel skin genes. Embryos homozygous for a GBT insertion within neuregulin 2a (nrg2a) revealed a novel requirement for a Neuregulin 2a (Nrg2a) – ErbB2/3 – AKT signaling pathway governing the apicobasal organization of a subset of epidermal cells during median fin fold (MFF) morphogenesis. In nrg2a mutant larvae, the basal keratinocytes within the apical MFF, known as ridge cells, displayed reduced pAKT levels as well as reduced apical domains and exaggerated basolateral domains. Those defects compromised proper ridge cell elongation into a flattened epithelial morphology, resulting in thickened MFF edges. Pharmacological inhibition verified that Nrg2a signals through the ErbB receptor tyrosine kinase network. Moreover, knockdown of the epithelial polarity regulator and tumor suppressor lgl2 ameliorated the nrg2a mutant phenotype. Identifying Lgl2 as an antagonist of Nrg2a – ErbB signaling revealed a significantly earlier role for Lgl2 during epidermal morphogenesis than has been described to date. Furthermore, our findings demonstrated that successive, coordinated ridge cell shape changes drive apical MFF development, making MFF ridge cells a valuable model for investigating how the coordinated regulation of cell polarity and cell shape changes serves as a crucial mechanism of epithelial morphogenesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stephanie E. Westcot
- Department of Genetics, Cell Biology, and Development, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota, United States of America
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota, United States of America
| | - Julia Hatzold
- Institute for Developmental Biology, University of Cologne, Biocenter, Cologne, Germany
- Center for Molecular Medicine Cologne (CMMC), University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany
| | - Mark D. Urban
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota, United States of America
| | - Stefânia K. Richetti
- Institute for Developmental Biology, University of Cologne, Biocenter, Cologne, Germany
| | - Kimberly J. Skuster
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota, United States of America
| | - Rhianna M. Harm
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota, United States of America
| | - Roberto Lopez Cervera
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota, United States of America
| | - Noriko Umemoto
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota, United States of America
| | - Melissa S. McNulty
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota, United States of America
| | - Karl J. Clark
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota, United States of America
| | - Matthias Hammerschmidt
- Institute for Developmental Biology, University of Cologne, Biocenter, Cologne, Germany
- Center for Molecular Medicine Cologne (CMMC), University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany
- Cologne Cluster of Excellence in Cellular Stress Responses in Aging-associated Diseases (CECAD), University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany
| | - Stephen C. Ekker
- Department of Genetics, Cell Biology, and Development, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota, United States of America
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota, United States of America
- * E-mail:
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Yang J, Shih YH, Xu X. Understanding cardiac sarcomere assembly with zebrafish genetics. Anat Rec (Hoboken) 2015; 297:1681-93. [PMID: 25125181 DOI: 10.1002/ar.22975] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/08/2014] [Revised: 05/12/2014] [Accepted: 05/13/2014] [Indexed: 01/06/2023]
Abstract
Mutations in sarcomere genes have been found in many inheritable human diseases, including hypertrophic cardiomyopathy. Elucidating the molecular mechanisms of sarcomere assembly shall facilitate understanding of the pathogenesis of sarcomere-based cardiac disease. Recently, biochemical and genomic studies have identified many new genes encoding proteins that localize to the sarcomere. However, their precise functions in sarcomere assembly and sarcomere-based cardiac disease are unknown. Here, we review zebrafish as an emerging vertebrate model for these studies. We summarize the techniques offered by this animal model to manipulate genes of interest, annotate gene expression, and describe the resulting phenotypes. We survey the sarcomere genes that have been investigated in zebrafish and discuss the potential of applying this in vivo model for larger-scale genetic studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jingchun Yang
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Mayo Clinic College of Medicine, Rochester, Minnesota; Division of Cardiovascular Diseases, Mayo Clinic College of Medicine, Rochester, Minnesota
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14
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Pickart MA, Klee EW. Zebrafish approaches enhance the translational research tackle box. Transl Res 2014; 163:65-78. [PMID: 24269745 DOI: 10.1016/j.trsl.2013.10.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/07/2013] [Revised: 10/24/2013] [Accepted: 10/28/2013] [Indexed: 01/08/2023]
Abstract
During the past few decades, zebrafish (Danio rerio) have been a workhorse for developmental biology and genetics. Concurrently, zebrafish have proved highly accessible and effective for translational research by providing a vertebrate animal model useful for gene discovery, disease modeling, chemical genetic screening, and other medically relevant studies. Key resources such as an annotated and complete genome sequence, and diverse tools for genetic manipulation continue to spur broad use of zebrafish. Thus, the purpose of this introductory review is to provide a window into the unique characteristics and diverse uses of zebrafish and to highlight in particular the increasing relevance of zebrafish as a translational animal model. This is accomplished by reviewing broad considerations of anatomic and physiological conservation, approaches for disease modeling and creation, general laboratory methods, genetic tools, genome conservation, and diverse opportunities for functional validation. Additional commentary throughout the review also guides the reader to the 4 new reviews found elsewhere in this special issue that showcase the many unique ways the zebrafish is improving understanding of renal regeneration, mitochondrial disease, dyslipidemia, and aging, for example. With many other possible approaches and a rapidly increasing number of medically relevant reports, zebrafish approaches enhance significantly the tools available for translational research and are actively improving the understanding of human disease.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Eric W Klee
- Mayo Clinic, College of Medicine, Rochester, Minn
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Varshney GK, Burgess SM. Mutagenesis and phenotyping resources in zebrafish for studying development and human disease. Brief Funct Genomics 2013; 13:82-94. [PMID: 24162064 DOI: 10.1093/bfgp/elt042] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/09/2023] Open
Abstract
The zebrafish (Danio rerio) is an important model organism for studying development and human disease. The zebrafish has an excellent reference genome and the functions of hundreds of genes have been tested using both forward and reverse genetic approaches. Recent years have seen an increasing number of large-scale mutagenesis projects and the number of mutants or gene knockouts in zebrafish has increased rapidly, including for the first time conditional knockout technologies. In addition, targeted mutagenesis techniques such as zinc finger nucleases, transcription activator-like effector nucleases and clustered regularly interspaced short sequences (CRISPR) or CRISPR-associated (Cas), have all been shown to effectively target zebrafish genes as well as the first reported germline homologous recombination, further expanding the utility and power of zebrafish genetics. Given this explosion of mutagenesis resources, it is now possible to perform systematic, high-throughput phenotype analysis of all zebrafish gene knockouts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gaurav Kumar Varshney
- Developmental Genomics Section, Genome Technology Branch, National Human Genome Research Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA.
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Jungke P, Hans S, Brand M. The zebrafish CreZoo: an easy-to-handle database for novel CreER(T2)-driver lines. Zebrafish 2013; 10:259-63. [PMID: 23668932 DOI: 10.1089/zeb.2012.0834] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
We report a new open access database, the zebrafish CreZoo ( http://crezoo.crt-dresden.de ), which contains novel CreER(T2)-driver lines that express Cre fused to the mutated human ligand-binding domain of the estrogen receptor (CreER(T2)) in several tissues. Recently, the conditional Cre/loxP technology has been added to the toolbox for the precise manipulation of the zebrafish genome, but currently the number of CreER(T2)-driver lines is limited. To enlarge the pool of existing CreER(T2)-driver lines, we conducted a genome-wide screen using a gene trap cassette comprising a splice acceptor and an mCherry-tagged variant of CreER(T2). All molecular and expression data obtained in this screen are summarized in the CreZoo database, which currently comprises an inventory of about 47 Cre-driver lines expressing CreER(T2) in a cell- and tissue-specific manner during development and adulthood. Combined with other Cre-dependent effector lines, the CreZoo will be a great tool to manipulate the zebrafish genome.
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Affiliation(s)
- Peggy Jungke
- Dresden University of Technology, Dresden, Germany
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Ding Y, Liu W, Deng Y, Jomok B, Yang J, Huang W, Clark KJ, Zhong TP, Lin X, Ekker SC, Xu X. Trapping cardiac recessive mutants via expression-based insertional mutagenesis screening. Circ Res 2013; 112:606-17. [PMID: 23283723 PMCID: PMC3603352 DOI: 10.1161/circresaha.112.300603] [Citation(s) in RCA: 43] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/26/2023]
Abstract
RATIONALE Mutagenesis screening is a powerful genetic tool for probing biological mechanisms underlying vertebrate development and human diseases. However, the increased colony management efforts in vertebrates impose a significant challenge for identifying genes affecting a particular organ, such as the heart, especially those exhibiting adult phenotypes on depletion. OBJECTIVE We aim to develop a facile approach that streamlines colony management efforts via enriching cardiac mutants, which enables us to screen for adult phenotypes. METHODS AND RESULTS The transparency of the zebrafish embryos enabled us to score 67 stable transgenic lines generated from an insertional mutagenesis screen using a transposon-based protein trapping vector. Fifteen lines with cardiac monomeric red fluorescent protein reporter expression were identified. We defined the molecular nature for 10 lines and bred them to homozygosity, which led to the identification of 1 embryonic lethal, 1 larval lethal, and 1 adult recessive mutant exhibiting cardiac hypertrophy at 1 year of age. Further characterization of these mutants uncovered an essential function of methionine adenosyltransferase II, α a (mat2aa) in cardiogenesis, an essential function of mitochondrial ribosomal protein S18B (mrps18b) in cardiac mitochondrial homeostasis, as well as a function of DnaJ (Hsp40) homolog, subfamily B, member 6b (dnajb6b) in adult cardiac hypertrophy. CONCLUSIONS We demonstrate that transposon-based gene trapping is an efficient approach for identifying both embryonic and adult recessive mutants with cardiac expression. The generation of a zebrafish insertional cardiac mutant collection shall facilitate the annotation of a vertebrate cardiac genome, as well as enable heart-based adult screens.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yonghe Ding
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Mayo Clinic College of Medicine, Rochester, MN 55905
- Division of Cardiovascular Diseases, Department of Medicine, Mayo Clinic College of Medicine, Rochester, MN 55905
- Department of Genetics and Development Biology, College of Life Sciences, Hunan Normal University, P.R. China
| | - Weibin Liu
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Mayo Clinic College of Medicine, Rochester, MN 55905
- Division of Cardiovascular Diseases, Department of Medicine, Mayo Clinic College of Medicine, Rochester, MN 55905
| | - Yun Deng
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Mayo Clinic College of Medicine, Rochester, MN 55905
- Division of Cardiovascular Diseases, Department of Medicine, Mayo Clinic College of Medicine, Rochester, MN 55905
| | - Beninio Jomok
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Mayo Clinic College of Medicine, Rochester, MN 55905
- Division of Cardiovascular Diseases, Department of Medicine, Mayo Clinic College of Medicine, Rochester, MN 55905
| | - Jingchun Yang
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Mayo Clinic College of Medicine, Rochester, MN 55905
- Division of Cardiovascular Diseases, Department of Medicine, Mayo Clinic College of Medicine, Rochester, MN 55905
| | - Wei Huang
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Mayo Clinic College of Medicine, Rochester, MN 55905
- Division of Cardiovascular Diseases, Department of Medicine, Mayo Clinic College of Medicine, Rochester, MN 55905
- Department of Surgery, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, United States of America
| | - Karl J. Clark
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Mayo Clinic College of Medicine, Rochester, MN 55905
| | - Tao P. Zhong
- State Key Laboratory of Genetic Engineering, School of Life Sciences, Fudan University, Shanghai, P.R. China
| | - Xueying Lin
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Mayo Clinic College of Medicine, Rochester, MN 55905
- Division of Cardiovascular Diseases, Department of Medicine, Mayo Clinic College of Medicine, Rochester, MN 55905
| | - Stephen C. Ekker
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Mayo Clinic College of Medicine, Rochester, MN 55905
| | - Xiaolei Xu
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Mayo Clinic College of Medicine, Rochester, MN 55905
- Division of Cardiovascular Diseases, Department of Medicine, Mayo Clinic College of Medicine, Rochester, MN 55905
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