PUBLICATION

Transgenic Zebrafish Expressing Chicken Lysozyme Show Resistance against Bacterial Diseases

Authors
Yazawa, R., Hirono, I., and Aoki, T.
ID
ZDB-PUB-060623-3
Date
2006
Source
Transgenic Research   15(3): 385-391 (Journal)
Registered Authors
Aoki, Takashi, Hirono, Ikuo
Keywords
disease resistance, keratin promoter, lysozyme, transgenic fish, zebrafish
MeSH Terms
  • Animals
  • Animals, Genetically Modified*
  • Bacterial Infections/prevention & control*
  • Chickens
  • Female
  • Genetic Techniques
  • Green Fluorescent Proteins/genetics
  • Green Fluorescent Proteins/metabolism
  • Immunity, Innate*
  • Male
  • Muramidase/genetics*
  • Plasmids/metabolism
  • Promoter Regions, Genetic
  • RNA, Messenger/metabolism
  • Time Factors
  • Zebrafish
PubMed
16779653 Full text @ Transgenic. Res.
Abstract
We established a transgenic zebrafish strain expressing chicken lysozyme gene under the control of the Japanese flounder keratin gene promoter, and investigated its resistance to a pathogenic bacterial infection. To generate the lysozyme transgenic construct, Japanese flounder keratin promoter was linked to both the hen egg white (HEW) lyoszyme gene and green fluorescence protein (GFP) gene used as a selection marker for the transgenic strains, in a recombinant plasmid. The recombinant plasmid was microinjected into fertilized zebrafish eggs. In F2 transgenic zebrafish, GFP expression was strong in the epithelial tissues, liver and gill from the embryonic stage to the adult stage. The expressions of HEW lysozyme and GFP mRNA were confirmed in the liver and skin by RT-PCR. Western blot analysis showed that both HEW lysozyme and GFP were present in protein extracts from the liver of transgenic zebrafish, but not in protein extracts from the muscle. The lytic activity of protein extracts from the liver (assessed by a lysoplate assay using Micrococcus lysodeikticus as a substrate) was 1.75 times higher in F2 transgenic zebrafish than in the wild type. In a challenge experiment, 65% of the F2 transgenic fish survived an infection of Flavobacterium columnare and 60% survived an infection of Edwardsiella tarda, whereas 100% of the control fish were killed by both pathogens. However, the survival rates of the transgenic fish were not significantly higher when higher concentrations of bacteria were used.
Genes / Markers
Figures
Expression
Phenotype
Mutations / Transgenics
Human Disease / Model
Sequence Targeting Reagents
Fish
Antibodies
Orthology
Engineered Foreign Genes
Mapping