Journal Article
Stable transgenesis in Astyanax mexicanus using the Tol2 transposase system
Stahl, B.A., Peuß, R., McDole, B., Kenzior, A., Jaggard, J.B., Gaudenz, K., Krishnan, J., McGaugh, S.E., Duboue, E.R., Keene, A.C. and Rohner, N.
Record Number:
4427
Year:
2019
Journal:
Developmental Dynamics
Pages:
679-687
Volume:
248
Abstract:
Background: Astyanax mexicanus is a well-established fish model system for evolutionary
and developmental biology research. These fish exist as surface forms
that inhabit rivers and 30 different populations of cavefish. Despite important progress
in the deployment of new technologies, deep mechanistic insights into the
genetic basis of evolution, development, and behavior have been limited by a lack
of transgenic lines commonly used in genetic model systems.
Results: Here, we expand the toolkit of transgenesis by characterizing two novel
stable transgenic lines that were generated using the highly efficient Tol2 system, commonly
used to generate transgenic zebrafish. A stable transgenic line consisting of the
zebrafish ubiquitin promoter expresses enhanced green fluorescent protein ubiquitously
throughout development in a surface population of Astyanax. To define specific
cell-types, a Cntnap2-mCherry construct labels lateral line mechanosensory neurons in
zebrafish. Strikingly, both constructs appear to label the predicted cell types,
suggesting many genetic tools and defined promoter regions in zebrafish are directly
transferrable to cavefish.
Conclusion: The lines provide proof-of-principle for the application of Tol2 transgenic
technology in A. mexicanus. Expansion on these initial transgenic lines will
provide a platform to address broadly important problems in the quest to bridge the
genotype-phenotype gap.
Times Cited:
1
Relevent Species: