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Transgenic fish systems and their application in ecotoxicology.
- Source :
-
Critical reviews in toxicology [Crit Rev Toxicol] 2015 Feb; Vol. 45 (2), pp. 124-41. Date of Electronic Publication: 2014 Nov 14. - Publication Year :
- 2015
-
Abstract
- The use of transgenics in fish is a relatively recent development for advancing understanding of genetic mechanisms and developmental processes, improving aquaculture, and for pharmaceutical discovery. Transgenic fish have also been applied in ecotoxicology where they have the potential to provide more advanced and integrated systems for assessing health impacts of chemicals. The zebrafish (Daniorerio) is the most popular fish for transgenic models, for reasons including their high fecundity, transparency of their embryos, rapid organogenesis and availability of extensive genetic resources. The most commonly used technique for producing transgenic zebrafish is via microinjection of transgenes into fertilized eggs. Transposon and meganuclease have become the most reliable methods for insertion of the genetic construct in the production of stable transgenic fish lines. The GAL4-UAS system, where GAL4 is placed under the control of a desired promoter and UAS is fused with a fluorescent marker, has greatly enhanced model development for studies in ecotoxicology. Transgenic fish have been developed to study for the effects of heavy metal toxicity (via heat-shock protein genes), oxidative stress (via an electrophile-responsive element), for various organic chemicals acting through the aryl hydrocarbon receptor, thyroid and glucocorticoid response pathways, and estrogenicity. These models vary in their sensitivity with only very few able to detect responses for environmentally relevant exposures. Nevertheless, the potential of these systems for analyses of chemical effects in real time and across multiple targets in intact organisms is considerable. Here we illustrate the techniques used for generating transgenic zebrafish and assess progress in the development and application of transgenic fish (principally zebrafish) for studies in environmental toxicology. We further provide a viewpoint on future development opportunities.
- Subjects :
- Animals
DNA-Binding Proteins genetics
DNA-Binding Proteins metabolism
Embryo, Nonmammalian drug effects
Embryo, Nonmammalian metabolism
Genes, Reporter
Green Fluorescent Proteins genetics
Green Fluorescent Proteins metabolism
Transcription Factors genetics
Transcription Factors metabolism
Transgenes
Zebrafish embryology
Zebrafish metabolism
Zebrafish Proteins genetics
Zebrafish Proteins metabolism
Animals, Genetically Modified
Ecotoxicology methods
Environmental Pollutants toxicity
Zebrafish genetics
Subjects
Details
- Language :
- English
- ISSN :
- 1547-6898
- Volume :
- 45
- Issue :
- 2
- Database :
- MEDLINE
- Journal :
- Critical reviews in toxicology
- Publication Type :
- Academic Journal
- Accession number :
- 25394772
- Full Text :
- https://doi.org/10.3109/10408444.2014.965805