PUBLICATION
Methods: A bioinformatic protocol for rapid analysis of zebrafish embryo photo-motory responses (PMR) in neurotoxicity testing
- Authors
- Henry, J., Bai, Y., Kreuder, F., Mawdsley, D., Kaslin, J., Wlodkowic, D.
- ID
- ZDB-PUB-240115-9
- Date
- 2024
- Source
- Comparative biochemistry and physiology. Toxicology & pharmacology : CBP 277: 109833 (Journal)
- Registered Authors
- Kaslin, Jan, Mawdsley, David
- Keywords
- Behaviour, Embryo, Neurotoxicity, Photomotor response, Zebrafish
- MeSH Terms
-
- Animals
- Embryo, Nonmammalian
- Neurotoxicity Syndromes*
- Zebrafish*/physiology
- PubMed
- 38218564 Full text @ Comp. Biochem. Physiol. C Toxicol. Pharmacol.
Citation
Henry, J., Bai, Y., Kreuder, F., Mawdsley, D., Kaslin, J., Wlodkowic, D. (2024) Methods: A bioinformatic protocol for rapid analysis of zebrafish embryo photo-motory responses (PMR) in neurotoxicity testing. Comparative biochemistry and physiology. Toxicology & pharmacology : CBP. 277:109833.
Abstract
Chemobehavioural phenotyping presents unique opportunities for analyzing neurotoxicants and discovering behavior-modifying neuroceuticals in small aquatic model organisms such as zebrafish (Danio rerio). A recently popularized approach in this field involves the utilization of zebrafish embryos for a photo-motor response (PMR) bioassay. The PMR bioassay entails stimulating zebrafish embryos between 24 and 36 h post fertilization (hpf) with a high-intensity light stimulus, inducing a transient increase in the frequency of photo-induced embryo body flexions. These flexions can be computationally analyzed to derive behavioral signatures, enabling the categorization of neuromodulating chemicals. Despite the significant advantages of the PMR bioassay, its widespread implementation is hindered by lack of well described and straightforward high-throughput bioinformatic analysis of behavioral data. In this methods article, we present an easily implementable bioinformatics protocol specifically designed for rapid behavioral analysis of large cohorts of zebrafish specimens in PMR bioassays. We also address common pitfalls encountered during PMR analysis, discuss its limitations, and propose future directions for developing next-generation biometric analysis techniques in chemobehavioural assays utilizing zebrafish embryos.
Genes / Markers
Expression
Phenotype
Mutations / Transgenics
Human Disease / Model
Sequence Targeting Reagents
Fish
Orthology
Engineered Foreign Genes
Mapping