Developmental expression of aquaporin-3 in zebrafish embryos (Danio rerio)

The actin nucleator Cordon-bleu is required for development of motile cilia in zebrafish

The cordon-bleu (Cobl) gene is widely conserved in vertebrates, with developmentally regulated axial and epithelial expression in mouse and chick embryos. In vitro, Cobl can bind monomeric actin and nucleate formation of unbranched actin filaments, while in cultured cells it can modulate the actin cytoskeleton. However, an essential role for Cobl in vivo has yet to be determined. We have used zebrafish as a model to assess the requirements for Cobl in embryogenesis. We find that cobl shows enriched expression in ciliated epithelial tissues during zebrafish organogenesis. Cobl protein is enriched in the apical domain of ciliated cells, in close proximity to the apical actin cap. Reduction of Cobl by antisense morpholinos reveals an essential role in development of motile cilia in organs such as Kupffer's vesicle and the pronephros. In Kupffer's vesicle, the reduction in Cobl coincides with a reduction in the amount of apical F-actin. Thus, Cobl represents a molecular activity that couples developmental patterning signals with local intracellular cytoskeletal dynamics to support morphogenesis of motile cilia.

Roles of vertebrate aquaglyceroporins in arsenic transport and detoxification

Aquaporins are important channel proteins that are responsible for the balance of cellular osmolarity and nutrient transport in vertebrates. Recently, new functions of these ancient channels have been found in the conduction of metalloid arsenic (As). Chronic As exposure through contaminated water and food sources is associated with multiple human diseases and endangers millions of people's health worldwide. Therefore, identification of the As transport pathways is necessary to elucidate the mechanisms of As carcinogenesis. Arsenic detoxification systems have been studied in multiple vertebrates such as mammalian mouse, rat, humans and nonmammalian vertebrates. Multiple transporters and enzymes have been shown to be involved in As translocation and cellular transformation. In these vertebrates, members ofaquaglyceroporins, which include AQP7 in kidney and AQP9 in liver, catalyze uptake of inorganic trivalent arsenite [As(III)]. AQP9, the major liver aquaglyceroporin, conducts both inorganic As(III) and organic monomethylarsonous acid [MMA(III)], an intermediate that is generated during the cellular methylation. As a channel that facilitates a downhill movement of substances dependent on the concentration gradient, AQP9 may play an important role in the simultaneous influx of inorganic As(III) from blood to liver and efflux of As metabolite MMA(III) from liver to blood. In this chapter, we will discuss the function ofaquaglyceroporins ofvertebrates in uptake and detoxification of the metalloid As.

Arsenic transport by zebrafish aquaglyceroporins

Background

Arsenic is one of the most ubiquitous toxins and endangers the health of tens of millions of humans worldwide. It is a mainly a water-borne contaminant. Inorganic trivalent arsenic (As^III) is one of the major species that exists environmentally. The transport of As^III has been studied in microbes, plants and mammals. Members of the aquaglyceroporin family have been shown to actively conduct As^III and its organic metabolite, monomethylarsenite (MAs^III). However, the transport of As^III and MAs^III in in any fish species has not been characterized.

Results

In this study, five members of the aquaglyceroporin family from zebrafish (Danio rerio) were cloned, and their ability to transport water, glycerol, and trivalent arsenicals (As^III and MAs^III) and antimonite (Sb^III) was investigated. Genes for at least seven aquaglyceroporins have been annotated in the zebrafish genome project. Here, five genes which are close homologues to human AQP3, AQP9 and AQP10 were cloned from a zebrafish cDNA preparation. These genes were named aqp3, aqp3l, aqp9a, aqp9b and aqp10 according to their similarities to the corresponding human AQPs. Expression of aqp9a, aqp9b, aqp3, aqp3l and aqp10 in multiple zebrafish organs were examined by RT-PCR. Our results demonstrated that these aquaglyceroporins exhibited different tissue expression. They are all detected in more than one tissue. The ability of these five aquaglyceroporins to transport water, glycerol and the metalloids arsenic and antimony was examined following expression in oocytes from Xenopus leavis. Each of these channels showed substantial glycerol transport at equivalent rates. These aquaglyceroporins also facilitate uptake of inorganic As^III, MAs^III and Sb^III. Arsenic accumulation in fish larvae and in different tissues from adult zebrafish was studied following short-term arsenic exposure. The results showed that liver is the major organ of arsenic accumulation; other tissues such as gill, eye, heart, intestine muscle and skin also exhibited significant ability to accumulate arsenic. The zebrafish larvae also accumulate considerable amounts of arsenic.

Conclusion

This is the first molecular identification of fish arsenite transport systems and we propose that the extensive expression of the fish aquaglyceroporins and their ability to transport metalloids suggests that aquaglyceroporins are the major pathways for arsenic accumulation in a variety of zebrafish tissues. Uptake is one important step of arsenic metabolism. Our results will contribute to a new understanding of aquatic arsenic metabolism and will support the use of zebrafish as a new model system to study arsenic associated human diseases.

Cryoprotective effects of antifreeze proteins delivered into zebrafish embryos

Fish embryo cryopreservation, which is useful in aquaculture or biodiversity conservation, is still far from being achieved. Structural barriers reduce the entrance of cryoprotectants into embryo compartments. Previous studies demonstrated a better ability for freezing in Arctic species which naturally express antifreeze proteins (AFPs). In this study, AFPs were delivered in early zebrafish embryos by incubation in media containing protein. Their cryoprotective effects were then analyzed. Chilling sensitivity was evaluated at 4 degrees C and -10 degrees C. Survival rates significantly increased in embryos incorporating AFPI and kept at -10 degrees C. To analyze their effects on cryopreservation, 5-somite embryos were vitrified. Incorporation of AFPI reduced the percentage of embryos that collapsed at thawing (14.2% of AFPI-treated embryos and 48.9% of controls). Cellular damage caused by vitrification was assessed after thawing by cell dissociation and further analysis of cell survival in culture (SYBR-14/IP labeling). The percentage of viable cells at thawing ranged from 25 to 50%, considered incompatible with embryo development. Cells recovered from frozen-control embryos did not survive in culture. However, the incorporation of AFPs allowed survival similar to that of cells recovered from non-frozen embryos. Blastomere cryopreservation trials incorporating AFPI in the extender also demonstrated a significant increase in viability after freezing. Our findings demonstrated that delivery of AFPs into zebrafish embryos by incubation in media containing protein at early stages is a simple and harmless method that increases cryoprotection of the cellular compartment. This beneficial effect is also noticed in blastomeres, encouraging their use in further protocols for embryo cryopreservation.