1
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Uribe-Arias A, Rozenblat R, Vinepinsky E, Marachlian E, Kulkarni A, Zada D, Privat M, Topsakalian D, Charpy S, Candat V, Nourin S, Appelbaum L, Sumbre G. Radial astrocyte synchronization modulates the visual system during behavioral-state transitions. Neuron 2023; 111:4040-4057.e6. [PMID: 37863038 PMCID: PMC10783638 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuron.2023.09.022] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/23/2023] [Revised: 08/01/2023] [Accepted: 09/15/2023] [Indexed: 10/22/2023]
Abstract
Glial cells support the function of neurons. Recent evidence shows that astrocytes are also involved in brain computations. To explore whether and how their excitable nature affects brain computations and motor behaviors, we used two-photon Ca2+ imaging of zebrafish larvae expressing GCaMP in both neurons and radial astrocytes (RAs). We found that in the optic tectum, RAs synchronize their Ca2+ transients immediately after the end of an escape behavior. Using optogenetics, ablations, and a genetically encoded norepinephrine sensor, we observed that RA synchronous Ca2+ events are mediated by the locus coeruleus (LC)-norepinephrine circuit. RA synchronization did not induce direct excitation or inhibition of tectal neurons. Nevertheless, it modulated the direction selectivity and the long-distance functional correlations among neurons. This mechanism supports freezing behavior following a switch to an alerted state. These results show that LC-mediated neuro-glial interactions modulate the visual system during transitions between behavioral states.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alejandro Uribe-Arias
- Institut de Biologie de l'ENS (IBENS), Département de biologie, École normale supérieure, CNRS, INSERM, Université PSL, 75005 Paris, France
| | - Rotem Rozenblat
- The Faculty of Life Sciences and The Multidisciplinary Brain Research Center, Bar-Ilan University, Ramat-Gan, Israel
| | - Ehud Vinepinsky
- Institut de Biologie de l'ENS (IBENS), Département de biologie, École normale supérieure, CNRS, INSERM, Université PSL, 75005 Paris, France
| | - Emiliano Marachlian
- Institut de Biologie de l'ENS (IBENS), Département de biologie, École normale supérieure, CNRS, INSERM, Université PSL, 75005 Paris, France
| | - Anirudh Kulkarni
- Institut de Biologie de l'ENS (IBENS), Département de biologie, École normale supérieure, CNRS, INSERM, Université PSL, 75005 Paris, France
| | - David Zada
- The Faculty of Life Sciences and The Multidisciplinary Brain Research Center, Bar-Ilan University, Ramat-Gan, Israel
| | - Martin Privat
- Institut de Biologie de l'ENS (IBENS), Département de biologie, École normale supérieure, CNRS, INSERM, Université PSL, 75005 Paris, France
| | - Diego Topsakalian
- Institut de Biologie de l'ENS (IBENS), Département de biologie, École normale supérieure, CNRS, INSERM, Université PSL, 75005 Paris, France
| | - Sarah Charpy
- Institut de Biologie de l'ENS (IBENS), Département de biologie, École normale supérieure, CNRS, INSERM, Université PSL, 75005 Paris, France
| | - Virginie Candat
- Institut de Biologie de l'ENS (IBENS), Département de biologie, École normale supérieure, CNRS, INSERM, Université PSL, 75005 Paris, France
| | - Sarah Nourin
- Institut de Biologie de l'ENS (IBENS), Département de biologie, École normale supérieure, CNRS, INSERM, Université PSL, 75005 Paris, France
| | - Lior Appelbaum
- The Faculty of Life Sciences and The Multidisciplinary Brain Research Center, Bar-Ilan University, Ramat-Gan, Israel
| | - Germán Sumbre
- Institut de Biologie de l'ENS (IBENS), Département de biologie, École normale supérieure, CNRS, INSERM, Université PSL, 75005 Paris, France.
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2
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Hageter J, Starkey J, Horstick EJ. Thalamic regulation of a visual critical period and motor behavior. Cell Rep 2023; 42:112287. [PMID: 36952349 PMCID: PMC10514242 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2023.112287] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/14/2022] [Revised: 02/02/2023] [Accepted: 03/03/2023] [Indexed: 03/24/2023] Open
Abstract
During the visual critical period (CP), sensory experience refines the structure and function of visual circuits. The basis of this plasticity was long thought to be limited to cortical circuits, but recently described thalamic plasticity challenges this dogma and demonstrates greater complexity underlying visual plasticity. Yet how visual experience modulates thalamic neurons or how the thalamus modulates CP timing is incompletely understood. Using a larval zebrafish, thalamus-centric ocular dominance model, we show functional changes in the thalamus and a role of inhibitory signaling to establish CP timing using a combination of functional imaging, optogenetics, and pharmacology. Hemisphere-specific changes in genetically defined thalamic neurons correlate with changes in visuomotor behavior, establishing a role of thalamic plasticity in modulating motor performance. Our work demonstrates that visual plasticity is broadly conserved and that visual experience leads to neuron-level functional changes in the thalamus that require inhibitory signaling to establish critical period timing.
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Affiliation(s)
- John Hageter
- Department of Biology, West Virginia University, Morgantown, WV 26506, USA
| | - Jacob Starkey
- Department of Biology, West Virginia University, Morgantown, WV 26506, USA
| | - Eric J Horstick
- Department of Biology, West Virginia University, Morgantown, WV 26506, USA; Department of Neuroscience, West Virginia University, Morgantown, WV 26506, USA.
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3
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Coomer C, Naumova D, Talay M, Zolyomi B, Snell N, Sorkac A, Chanchu JM, Cheng J, Roman I, Li J, Robson D, Barnea G, Halpern ME. Transsynaptic labeling and transcriptional control of zebrafish neural circuits. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.04.03.535421. [PMID: 37066422 PMCID: PMC10103993 DOI: 10.1101/2023.04.03.535421] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/18/2023]
Abstract
Deciphering the connectome, the ensemble of synaptic connections that underlie brain function is a central goal of neuroscience research. The trans-Tango genetic approach, initially developed for anterograde transsynaptic tracing in Drosophila, can be used to map connections between presynaptic and postsynaptic partners and to drive gene expression in target neurons. Here, we describe the successful adaptation of trans-Tango to visualize neural connections in a living vertebrate nervous system, that of the zebrafish. Connections were validated between synaptic partners in the larval retina and brain. Results were corroborated by functional experiments in which optogenetic activation of retinal ganglion cells elicited responses in neurons of the optic tectum, as measured by trans-Tango-dependent expression of a genetically encoded calcium indicator. Transsynaptic signaling through trans-Tango reveals predicted as well as previously undescribed synaptic connections, providing a valuable in vivo tool to monitor and interrogate neural circuits over time.
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4
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Burton EA, Burgess HA. A Critical Review of Zebrafish Neurological Disease Models-2. Application: Functional and Neuroanatomical Phenotyping Strategies and Chemical Screens. OXFORD OPEN NEUROSCIENCE 2022; 2:kvac019. [PMID: 37637775 PMCID: PMC10455049 DOI: 10.1093/oons/kvac019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/02/2022] [Revised: 11/28/2022] [Indexed: 08/29/2023]
Abstract
Extensive phylogenetic conservation of molecular pathways and neuroanatomical structures, associated with efficient methods for genetic modification, have been exploited increasingly to generate zebrafish models of human disease. A range of powerful approaches can be deployed to analyze these models with the ultimate goal of elucidating pathogenic mechanisms and accelerating efforts to find effective treatments. Unbiased neurobehavioral assays can provide readouts that parallel clinical abnormalities found in patients, although some of the most useful assays quantify responses that are not routinely evaluated clinically, and differences between zebrafish and human brains preclude expression of the full range of neurobehavioral abnormalities seen in disease. Imaging approaches that use fluorescent reporters and standardized brain atlases coupled with quantitative measurements of brain structure offer an unbiased means to link experimental manipulations to changes in neural architecture. Together, quantitative structural and functional analyses allow dissection of the cellular and physiological basis underlying neurological phenotypes. These approaches can be used as outputs in chemical modifier screens, which provide a major opportunity to exploit zebrafish models to identify small molecule modulators of pathophysiology that may be informative for understanding disease mechanisms and possible therapeutic approaches.
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Affiliation(s)
- Edward A Burton
- Pittsburgh Institute of Neurodegenerative Diseases, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA 15260, USA
- Department of Neurology, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA 15260, USA
- Geriatric Research, Education, and Clinical Center, Pittsburgh VA Healthcare System, Pittsburgh, PA 15240, USA
| | - Harold A Burgess
- Division of Developmental Biology, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
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5
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Bhandiwad AA, Chu NC, Semenova SA, Holmes GA, Burgess HA. A cerebellar-prepontine circuit for tonic immobility triggered by an inescapable threat. SCIENCE ADVANCES 2022; 8:eabo0549. [PMID: 36170356 PMCID: PMC9519051 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.abo0549] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/11/2022] [Accepted: 08/02/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
Sudden changes in the environment are frequently perceived as threats and provoke defensive behavioral states. One such state is tonic immobility, a conserved defensive strategy characterized by powerful suppression of movement and motor reflexes. Tonic immobility has been associated with multiple brainstem regions, but the underlying circuit is unknown. Here, we demonstrate that a strong vibratory stimulus evokes tonic immobility in larval zebrafish defined by suppressed locomotion and sensorimotor responses. Using a circuit-breaking screen and targeted neuron ablations, we show that cerebellar granule cells and a cluster of glutamatergic ventral prepontine neurons (vPPNs) that express key stress-associated neuropeptides are critical components of the circuit that suppresses movement. The complete sensorimotor circuit transmits information from sensory ganglia through the cerebellum to vPPNs to regulate reticulospinal premotor neurons. These results show that cerebellar regulation of a neuropeptide-rich prepontine structure governs a conserved and ancestral defensive behavior that is triggered by an inescapable threat.
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6
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DeMarco E, Xu N, Baier H, Robles E. Neuron types in the zebrafish optic tectum labeled by an id2b transgene. J Comp Neurol 2019; 528:1173-1188. [PMID: 31725916 DOI: 10.1002/cne.24815] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/25/2019] [Revised: 10/31/2019] [Accepted: 11/06/2019] [Indexed: 01/30/2023]
Abstract
The larval zebrafish optic tectum has emerged as a prominent model for understanding how neural circuits control visually guided behaviors. Further advances in this area will require tools to monitor and manipulate tectal neurons with cell type specificity. Here, we characterize the morphology and neurotransmitter phenotype of tectal neurons labeled by an id2b:gal4 transgene. Whole-brain imaging of stable transgenic id2b:gal4 larvae revealed labeling in a subset of neurons in optic tectum, cerebellum, and hindbrain. Genetic mosaic labeling of single neurons within the id2b:gal4 expression pattern enabled us to characterize three tectal neuron types with distinct morphologies and connectivities. The first is a neuron type previously identified in the optic tectum of other teleost fish: the tectal pyramidal neuron (PyrN). PyrNs are local interneurons that form two stratified dendritic arbors and one stratified axonal arbor in the tectal neuropil. The second tectal neuron type labeled by the id2b:gal4 transgene is a projection neuron that forms a stratified dendritic arbor in the tectal neuropil and an axon that exits tectum to form a topographic projection to torus longitudinalis (TL). A third neuron type labeled is a projection neuron with a nonstratified dendritic arbor and a descending axonal projection to tegmentum. These findings establish the id2b:gal4 transgenic as a useful tool for future studies aimed at elucidating the functional role of tectum, TL, and tegmentum in visually guided behaviors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elisabeth DeMarco
- Department of Biological Sciences and Purdue Institute for Integrative Neuroscience, Purdue University, West Lafayette, Indiana
| | - Nina Xu
- Department of Biological Sciences and Purdue Institute for Integrative Neuroscience, Purdue University, West Lafayette, Indiana
| | - Herwig Baier
- Max Planck Institute for Neurobiology, Martinsried, Germany
| | - Estuardo Robles
- Department of Biological Sciences and Purdue Institute for Integrative Neuroscience, Purdue University, West Lafayette, Indiana
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7
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Marquart GD, Tabor KM, Bergeron SA, Briggman KL, Burgess HA. Prepontine non-giant neurons drive flexible escape behavior in zebrafish. PLoS Biol 2019; 17:e3000480. [PMID: 31613896 PMCID: PMC6793939 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pbio.3000480] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/12/2019] [Accepted: 09/10/2019] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Many species execute ballistic escape reactions to avoid imminent danger. Despite fast reaction times, responses are often highly regulated, reflecting a trade-off between costly motor actions and perceived threat level. However, how sensory cues are integrated within premotor escape circuits remains poorly understood. Here, we show that in zebrafish, less precipitous threats elicit a delayed escape, characterized by flexible trajectories, which are driven by a cluster of 38 prepontine neurons that are completely separate from the fast escape pathway. Whereas neurons that initiate rapid escapes receive direct auditory input and drive motor neurons, input and output pathways for delayed escapes are indirect, facilitating integration of cross-modal sensory information. These results show that rapid decision-making in the escape system is enabled by parallel pathways for ballistic responses and flexible delayed actions and defines a neuronal substrate for hierarchical choice in the vertebrate nervous system.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gregory D. Marquart
- Division of Developmental Biology, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, Bethesda, Maryland, United States of America
- Neuroscience and Cognitive Science Program, University of Maryland, Maryland, United States of America
| | - Kathryn M. Tabor
- Division of Developmental Biology, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, Bethesda, Maryland, United States of America
| | - Sadie A. Bergeron
- Division of Developmental Biology, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, Bethesda, Maryland, United States of America
| | - Kevin L. Briggman
- Circuit Dynamics and Connectivity Unit, National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, Bethesda, Maryland, United States of America
| | - Harold A. Burgess
- Division of Developmental Biology, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, Bethesda, Maryland, United States of America
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8
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Tabor KM, Marquart GD, Hurt C, Smith TS, Geoca AK, Bhandiwad AA, Subedi A, Sinclair JL, Rose HM, Polys NF, Burgess HA. Brain-wide cellular resolution imaging of Cre transgenic zebrafish lines for functional circuit-mapping. eLife 2019; 8:42687. [PMID: 30735129 PMCID: PMC6392497 DOI: 10.7554/elife.42687] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/08/2018] [Accepted: 02/07/2019] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Decoding the functional connectivity of the nervous system is facilitated by transgenic methods that express a genetically encoded reporter or effector in specific neurons; however, most transgenic lines show broad spatiotemporal and cell-type expression. Increased specificity can be achieved using intersectional genetic methods which restrict reporter expression to cells that co-express multiple drivers, such as Gal4 and Cre. To facilitate intersectional targeting in zebrafish, we have generated more than 50 new Cre lines, and co-registered brain expression images with the Zebrafish Brain Browser, a cellular resolution atlas of 264 transgenic lines. Lines labeling neurons of interest can be identified using a web-browser to perform a 3D spatial search (zbbrowser.com). This resource facilitates the design of intersectional genetic experiments and will advance a wide range of precision circuit-mapping studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kathryn M Tabor
- Division of Developmental Biology, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, Bethesda, United States
| | - Gregory D Marquart
- Division of Developmental Biology, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, Bethesda, United States.,Neuroscience and Cognitive Science Program, University of Maryland, College Park, United States
| | - Christopher Hurt
- Division of Developmental Biology, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, Bethesda, United States.,Advanced Research Computing, Department of Computer Science, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Blacksburg, United States
| | - Trevor S Smith
- Division of Developmental Biology, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, Bethesda, United States
| | - Alexandra K Geoca
- Division of Developmental Biology, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, Bethesda, United States
| | - Ashwin A Bhandiwad
- Division of Developmental Biology, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, Bethesda, United States
| | - Abhignya Subedi
- Postdoctoral Research Associate Training Program, National Institute of General Medical Sciences, Bethesda, United States
| | - Jennifer L Sinclair
- Division of Developmental Biology, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, Bethesda, United States
| | - Hannah M Rose
- Division of Developmental Biology, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, Bethesda, United States
| | - Nicholas F Polys
- Advanced Research Computing, Department of Computer Science, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Blacksburg, United States
| | - Harold A Burgess
- Division of Developmental Biology, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, Bethesda, United States
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9
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Miller GW, Chandrasekaran V, Yaghoobi B, Lein PJ. Opportunities and challenges for using the zebrafish to study neuronal connectivity as an endpoint of developmental neurotoxicity. Neurotoxicology 2018; 67:102-111. [PMID: 29704525 PMCID: PMC6177215 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuro.2018.04.016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/14/2018] [Revised: 04/23/2018] [Accepted: 04/24/2018] [Indexed: 01/28/2023]
Abstract
Chemical exposures have been implicated as environmental risk factors that interact with genetic susceptibilities to influence individual risk for complex neurodevelopmental disorders, including autism spectrum disorder, schizophrenia, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder and intellectual disabilities. Altered patterns of neuronal connectivity represent a convergent mechanism of pathogenesis for these and other neurodevelopmental disorders, and growing evidence suggests that chemicals can interfere with specific signaling pathways that regulate the development of neuronal connections. There is, therefore, a growing interest in developing screening platforms to identify chemicals that alter neuronal connectivity. Cell-cell, cell-matrix interactions and systemic influences are known to be important in defining neuronal connectivity in the developing brain, thus, a systems-based model offers significant advantages over cell-based models for screening chemicals for effects on neuronal connectivity. The embryonic zebrafish represents a vertebrate model amenable to higher throughput chemical screening that has proven useful in characterizing conserved mechanisms of neurodevelopment. Moreover, the zebrafish is readily amenable to gene editing to integrate genetic susceptibilities. Although use of the zebrafish model in toxicity testing has increased in recent years, the diverse tools available for imaging structural differences in the developing zebrafish brain have not been widely applied to studies of the influence of gene by environment interactions on neuronal connectivity in the developing zebrafish brain. Here, we discuss tools available for imaging of neuronal connectivity in the developing zebrafish, review what has been published in this regard, and suggest a path forward for applying this information to developmental neurotoxicity testing.
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Affiliation(s)
- Galen W. Miller
- Department of Molecular Biosciences, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA 95616, USA
| | - Vidya Chandrasekaran
- Department of Biology, Saint Mary’s College of California, Moraga, CA 94575, USA
| | - Bianca Yaghoobi
- Department of Molecular Biosciences, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA 95616, USA
| | - Pamela J. Lein
- Department of Molecular Biosciences, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA 95616, USA
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10
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Lee DA, Andreev A, Truong TV, Chen A, Hill AJ, Oikonomou G, Pham U, Hong YK, Tran S, Glass L, Sapin V, Engle J, Fraser SE, Prober DA. Genetic and neuronal regulation of sleep by neuropeptide VF. eLife 2017; 6:25727. [PMID: 29106375 PMCID: PMC5705210 DOI: 10.7554/elife.25727] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/03/2017] [Accepted: 11/03/2017] [Indexed: 12/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Sleep is an essential and phylogenetically conserved behavioral state, but it remains unclear to what extent genes identified in invertebrates also regulate vertebrate sleep. RFamide-related neuropeptides have been shown to promote invertebrate sleep, and here we report that the vertebrate hypothalamic RFamide neuropeptide VF (NPVF) regulates sleep in the zebrafish, a diurnal vertebrate. We found that NPVF signaling and npvf-expressing neurons are both necessary and sufficient to promote sleep, that mature peptides derived from the NPVF preproprotein promote sleep in a synergistic manner, and that stimulation of npvf-expressing neurons induces neuronal activity levels consistent with normal sleep. These results identify NPVF signaling and npvf-expressing neurons as a novel vertebrate sleep-promoting system and suggest that RFamide neuropeptides participate in an ancient and central aspect of sleep control.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel A Lee
- Division of Biology and Biological Engineering, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, United States
| | - Andrey Andreev
- Department of Bioengineering, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, United States
| | - Thai V Truong
- Translational Imaging Center, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, United States
| | - Audrey Chen
- Division of Biology and Biological Engineering, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, United States
| | - Andrew J Hill
- Division of Biology and Biological Engineering, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, United States
| | - Grigorios Oikonomou
- Division of Biology and Biological Engineering, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, United States
| | - Uyen Pham
- Division of Biology and Biological Engineering, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, United States
| | - Young K Hong
- Division of Biology and Biological Engineering, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, United States
| | - Steven Tran
- Division of Biology and Biological Engineering, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, United States
| | - Laura Glass
- Division of Biology and Biological Engineering, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, United States
| | - Viveca Sapin
- Division of Biology and Biological Engineering, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, United States
| | - Jae Engle
- Division of Biology and Biological Engineering, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, United States
| | - Scott E Fraser
- Department of Bioengineering, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, United States.,Translational Imaging Center, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, United States
| | - David A Prober
- Division of Biology and Biological Engineering, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, United States
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11
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Förster D, Arnold-Ammer I, Laurell E, Barker AJ, Fernandes AM, Finger-Baier K, Filosa A, Helmbrecht TO, Kölsch Y, Kühn E, Robles E, Slanchev K, Thiele TR, Baier H, Kubo F. Genetic targeting and anatomical registration of neuronal populations in the zebrafish brain with a new set of BAC transgenic tools. Sci Rep 2017; 7:5230. [PMID: 28701772 PMCID: PMC5507991 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-017-04657-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 50] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/31/2017] [Accepted: 05/19/2017] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Genetic access to small, reproducible sets of neurons is key to an understanding of the functional wiring of the brain. Here we report the generation of a new Gal4- and Cre-driver resource for zebrafish neurobiology. Candidate genes, including cell type-specific transcription factors, neurotransmitter-synthesizing enzymes and neuropeptides, were selected according to their expression patterns in small and unique subsets of neurons from diverse brain regions. BAC recombineering, followed by Tol2 transgenesis, was used to generate driver lines that label neuronal populations in patterns that, to a large but variable extent, recapitulate the endogenous gene expression. We used image registration to characterize, compare, and digitally superimpose the labeling patterns from our newly generated transgenic lines. This analysis revealed highly restricted and mutually exclusive tissue distributions, with striking resolution of layered brain regions such as the tectum or the rhombencephalon. We further show that a combination of Gal4 and Cre transgenes allows intersectional expression of a fluorescent reporter in regions where the expression of the two drivers overlaps. Taken together, our study offers new tools for functional studies of specific neural circuits in zebrafish.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dominique Förster
- Max Planck Institute of Neurobiology, Department Genes - Circuits - Behavior, Am Klopferspitz 18, D-82152, Martinsried, Germany
| | - Irene Arnold-Ammer
- Max Planck Institute of Neurobiology, Department Genes - Circuits - Behavior, Am Klopferspitz 18, D-82152, Martinsried, Germany
| | - Eva Laurell
- Max Planck Institute of Neurobiology, Department Genes - Circuits - Behavior, Am Klopferspitz 18, D-82152, Martinsried, Germany
| | - Alison J Barker
- Max Planck Institute of Neurobiology, Department Genes - Circuits - Behavior, Am Klopferspitz 18, D-82152, Martinsried, Germany.,Max-Delbrück Center for Molecular Medicine, Berlin, Germany
| | - António M Fernandes
- Max Planck Institute of Neurobiology, Department Genes - Circuits - Behavior, Am Klopferspitz 18, D-82152, Martinsried, Germany
| | - Karin Finger-Baier
- Max Planck Institute of Neurobiology, Department Genes - Circuits - Behavior, Am Klopferspitz 18, D-82152, Martinsried, Germany
| | - Alessandro Filosa
- Max Planck Institute of Neurobiology, Department Genes - Circuits - Behavior, Am Klopferspitz 18, D-82152, Martinsried, Germany.,Max-Delbrück Center for Molecular Medicine, Berlin, Germany
| | - Thomas O Helmbrecht
- Max Planck Institute of Neurobiology, Department Genes - Circuits - Behavior, Am Klopferspitz 18, D-82152, Martinsried, Germany
| | - Yvonne Kölsch
- Max Planck Institute of Neurobiology, Department Genes - Circuits - Behavior, Am Klopferspitz 18, D-82152, Martinsried, Germany
| | - Enrico Kühn
- Max Planck Institute of Neurobiology, Department Genes - Circuits - Behavior, Am Klopferspitz 18, D-82152, Martinsried, Germany
| | - Estuardo Robles
- Max Planck Institute of Neurobiology, Department Genes - Circuits - Behavior, Am Klopferspitz 18, D-82152, Martinsried, Germany.,Department of Biological Sciences, Purdue University, West Lafayette, USA
| | - Krasimir Slanchev
- Max Planck Institute of Neurobiology, Department Genes - Circuits - Behavior, Am Klopferspitz 18, D-82152, Martinsried, Germany
| | - Tod R Thiele
- Max Planck Institute of Neurobiology, Department Genes - Circuits - Behavior, Am Klopferspitz 18, D-82152, Martinsried, Germany.,Department of Biological Sciences, University of Toronto Scarborough, Toronto, Canada
| | - Herwig Baier
- Max Planck Institute of Neurobiology, Department Genes - Circuits - Behavior, Am Klopferspitz 18, D-82152, Martinsried, Germany.
| | - Fumi Kubo
- Max Planck Institute of Neurobiology, Department Genes - Circuits - Behavior, Am Klopferspitz 18, D-82152, Martinsried, Germany.
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12
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Abstract
UNLABELLED The hypothalamus plays an important role in regulating sleep, but few hypothalamic sleep-promoting signaling pathways have been identified. Here we demonstrate a role for the neuropeptide QRFP (also known as P518 and 26RFa) and its receptors in regulating sleep in zebrafish, a diurnal vertebrate. We show that QRFP is expressed in ∼10 hypothalamic neurons in zebrafish larvae, which project to the hypothalamus, hindbrain, and spinal cord, including regions that express the two zebrafish QRFP receptor paralogs. We find that the overexpression of QRFP inhibits locomotor activity during the day, whereas mutation of qrfp or its receptors results in increased locomotor activity and decreased sleep during the day. Despite the restriction of these phenotypes to the day, the circadian clock does not regulate qrfp expression, and entrained circadian rhythms are not required for QRFP-induced rest. Instead, we find that QRFP overexpression decreases locomotor activity largely in a light-specific manner. Our results suggest that QRFP signaling plays an important role in promoting sleep and may underlie some aspects of hypothalamic sleep control. SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT The hypothalamus is thought to play a key role in regulating sleep in vertebrate animals, but few sleep-promoting signaling pathways that function in the hypothalamus have been identified. Here we use the zebrafish, a diurnal vertebrate, to functionally and anatomically characterize the neuropeptide QRFP. We show that QRFP is exclusively expressed in a small number of neurons in the larval zebrafish hypothalamus that project widely in the brain. We also show that QRFP overexpression reduces locomotor activity, whereas animals that lack QRFP signaling are more active and sleep less. These results suggest that QRFP signaling participates in the hypothalamic regulation of sleep.
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Horstick EJ, Tabor KM, Jordan DC, Burgess HA. Genetic Ablation, Sensitization, and Isolation of Neurons Using Nitroreductase and Tetrodotoxin-Insensitive Channels. Methods Mol Biol 2016; 1451:355-66. [PMID: 27464821 DOI: 10.1007/978-1-4939-3771-4_25] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/20/2023]
Abstract
Advances in genetic technologies enable the highly selective expression of transgenes in targeted neuronal cell types. Transgene expression can be used to noninvasively ablate, silence or activate neurons, providing a tool to probe their contribution to the control of behavior or physiology. Here, we describe the use of the tetrodotoxin (TTX)-resistant voltage-gated sodium channel Nav1.5 for either sensitizing neurons to depolarizing input, or isolating targeted neurons from surrounding neural activity, and methods for selective neuronal ablation using the bacterial nitroreductase NfsB.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eric J Horstick
- Division of Developmental Biology, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, Bethesda, MD, 20892, USA
| | - Kathryn M Tabor
- Division of Developmental Biology, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, Bethesda, MD, 20892, USA
| | - Diana C Jordan
- Division of Developmental Biology, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, Bethesda, MD, 20892, USA
| | - Harold A Burgess
- Division of Developmental Biology, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, Bethesda, MD, 20892, USA. .,NIH, 6 Center Drive, Building 6B, Room 3B308, Bethesda, MD, 20892, USA.
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14
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Marquart GD, Tabor KM, Brown M, Strykowski JL, Varshney GK, LaFave MC, Mueller T, Burgess SM, Higashijima SI, Burgess HA. A 3D Searchable Database of Transgenic Zebrafish Gal4 and Cre Lines for Functional Neuroanatomy Studies. Front Neural Circuits 2015; 9:78. [PMID: 26635538 PMCID: PMC4656851 DOI: 10.3389/fncir.2015.00078] [Citation(s) in RCA: 81] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/02/2015] [Accepted: 11/06/2015] [Indexed: 01/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Transgenic methods enable the selective manipulation of neurons for functional mapping of neuronal circuits. Using confocal microscopy, we have imaged the cellular-level expression of 109 transgenic lines in live 6 day post fertilization larvae, including 80 Gal4 enhancer trap lines, 9 Cre enhancer trap lines and 20 transgenic lines that express fluorescent proteins in defined gene-specific patterns. Image stacks were acquired at single micron resolution, together with a broadly expressed neural marker, which we used to align enhancer trap reporter patterns into a common 3-dimensional reference space. To facilitate use of this resource, we have written software that enables searching for transgenic lines that label cells within a selectable 3-dimensional region of interest (ROI) or neuroanatomical area. This software also enables the intersectional expression of transgenes to be predicted, a feature which we validated by detecting cells with co-expression of Cre and Gal4. Many of the imaged enhancer trap lines show intrinsic brain-specific expression. However, to increase the utility of lines that also drive expression in non-neuronal tissue we have designed a novel UAS reporter, that suppresses expression in heart, muscle, and skin through the incorporation of microRNA binding sites in a synthetic 3′ untranslated region. Finally, we mapped the site of transgene integration, thus providing molecular identification of the expression pattern for most lines. Cumulatively, this library of enhancer trap lines provides genetic access to 70% of the larval brain and is therefore a powerful and broadly accessible tool for the dissection of neural circuits in larval zebrafish.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gregory D Marquart
- Division of Developmental Biology, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, National Institutes of Health Bethesda, MD, USA ; Neuroscience and Cognitive Science Program, University of Maryland College Park, MD, USA
| | - Kathryn M Tabor
- Division of Developmental Biology, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, National Institutes of Health Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Mary Brown
- Division of Developmental Biology, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, National Institutes of Health Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Jennifer L Strykowski
- Division of Developmental Biology, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, National Institutes of Health Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Gaurav K Varshney
- Translational and Functional Genomics Branch, National Human Genome Research Institute, National Institutes of Health Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Matthew C LaFave
- Translational and Functional Genomics Branch, National Human Genome Research Institute, National Institutes of Health Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Thomas Mueller
- Division of Biology, Kansas State University Manhattan, KS, USA
| | - Shawn M Burgess
- Translational and Functional Genomics Branch, National Human Genome Research Institute, National Institutes of Health Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Shin-Ichi Higashijima
- National Institutes of Natural Sciences, Okazaki Institute for Integrative Bioscience, National Institute for Physiological Sciences Aichi, Japan
| | - Harold A Burgess
- Division of Developmental Biology, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, National Institutes of Health Bethesda, MD, USA ; Neuroscience and Cognitive Science Program, University of Maryland College Park, MD, USA
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Bergeron SA, Carrier N, Li GH, Ahn S, Burgess HA. Gsx1 expression defines neurons required for prepulse inhibition. Mol Psychiatry 2015; 20:974-85. [PMID: 25224259 PMCID: PMC4362800 DOI: 10.1038/mp.2014.106] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/22/2014] [Revised: 07/09/2014] [Accepted: 08/04/2014] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
In schizophrenia, cognitive overload is thought to reflect an inability to suppress non-salient information, a process which is studied using prepulse inhibition (PPI) of the startle response. PPI is reduced in schizophrenia and routinely tested in animal models and preclinical trials of antipsychotic drugs. However, the underlying neuronal circuitry is not well understood. We used a novel genetic screen in larval zebrafish to reveal the molecular identity of neurons that are required for PPI in fish and mice. Ablation or optogenetic silencing of neurons with developmental expression of the transcription factor genomic screen homeobox 1 (gsx1) produced profound defects in PPI in zebrafish, and PPI was similarly impaired in Gsx1 knockout mice. Gsx1-expressing neurons reside in the dorsal brainstem and form synapses closely apposed to neurons that initiate the startle response. Surprisingly, brainstem Gsx1 neurons are primarily glutamatergic despite their role in a functionally inhibitory pathway. As Gsx1 has an important role in regulating interneuron development in the forebrain, these findings reveal a molecular link between control of interneuron specification and circuits that gate sensory information across brain regions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sadie A. Bergeron
- Program in Genomics of Differentiation, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - Nicole Carrier
- Program in Genomics of Differentiation, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - Grace H. Li
- Program in Genomics of Differentiation, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - Sohyun Ahn
- Program in Genomics of Differentiation, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - Harold A. Burgess
- Program in Genomics of Differentiation, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA,6 Center Drive, Building 6B, Rm 3B308, Bethesda, MD 20892, , tel: 301-402-6018; fax: 301-496-0243
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Horstick EJ, Jordan DC, Bergeron SA, Tabor KM, Serpe M, Feldman B, Burgess HA. Increased functional protein expression using nucleotide sequence features enriched in highly expressed genes in zebrafish. Nucleic Acids Res 2015; 43:e48. [PMID: 25628360 PMCID: PMC4402511 DOI: 10.1093/nar/gkv035] [Citation(s) in RCA: 64] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/03/2014] [Accepted: 01/12/2015] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Many genetic manipulations are limited by difficulty in obtaining adequate levels of protein expression. Bioinformatic and experimental studies have identified nucleotide sequence features that may increase expression, however it is difficult to assess the relative influence of these features. Zebrafish embryos are rapidly injected with calibrated doses of mRNA, enabling the effects of multiple sequence changes to be compared in vivo. Using RNAseq and microarray data, we identified a set of genes that are highly expressed in zebrafish embryos and systematically analyzed for enrichment of sequence features correlated with levels of protein expression. We then tested enriched features by embryo microinjection and functional tests of multiple protein reporters. Codon selection, releasing factor recognition sequence and specific introns and 3′ untranslated regions each increased protein expression between 1.5- and 3-fold. These results suggested principles for increasing protein yield in zebrafish through biomolecular engineering. We implemented these principles for rational gene design in software for codon selection (CodonZ) and plasmid vectors incorporating the most active non-coding elements. Rational gene design thus significantly boosts expression in zebrafish, and a similar approach will likely elevate expression in other animal models.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eric J Horstick
- Program in Genomics of Differentiation, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - Diana C Jordan
- Program in Genomics of Differentiation, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - Sadie A Bergeron
- Program in Genomics of Differentiation, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - Kathryn M Tabor
- Program in Genomics of Differentiation, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - Mihaela Serpe
- Program in Cellular Regulation and Metabolism, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - Benjamin Feldman
- Zebrafish Core, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - Harold A Burgess
- Program in Genomics of Differentiation, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
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18
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Tabor KM, Bergeron SA, Horstick EJ, Jordan DC, Aho V, Porkka-Heiskanen T, Haspel G, Burgess HA. Direct activation of the Mauthner cell by electric field pulses drives ultrarapid escape responses. J Neurophysiol 2014; 112:834-44. [PMID: 24848468 DOI: 10.1152/jn.00228.2014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 78] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Rapid escape swims in fish are initiated by the Mauthner cells, giant reticulospinal neurons with unique specializations for swift responses. The Mauthner cells directly activate motoneurons and facilitate predator detection by integrating acoustic, mechanosensory, and visual stimuli. In addition, larval fish show well-coordinated escape responses when exposed to electric field pulses (EFPs). Sensitization of the Mauthner cell by genetic overexpression of the voltage-gated sodium channel SCN5 increased EFP responsiveness, whereas Mauthner ablation with an engineered variant of nitroreductase with increased activity (epNTR) eliminated the response. The reaction time to EFPs is extremely short, with many responses initiated within 2 ms of the EFP. Large neurons, such as Mauthner cells, show heightened sensitivity to extracellular voltage gradients. We therefore tested whether the rapid response to EFPs was due to direct activation of the Mauthner cells, bypassing delays imposed by stimulus detection and transmission by sensory cells. Consistent with this, calcium imaging indicated that EFPs robustly activated the Mauthner cell but only rarely fired other reticulospinal neurons. Further supporting this idea, pharmacological blockade of synaptic transmission in zebrafish did not affect Mauthner cell activity in response to EFPs. Moreover, Mauthner cells transgenically expressing a tetrodotoxin (TTX)-resistant voltage-gated sodium channel retained responses to EFPs despite TTX suppression of action potentials in the rest of the brain. We propose that EFPs directly activate Mauthner cells because of their large size, thereby driving ultrarapid escape responses in fish.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kathryn M Tabor
- Program in Genomics of Differentiation, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, Bethesda, Maryland
| | - Sadie A Bergeron
- Program in Genomics of Differentiation, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, Bethesda, Maryland
| | - Eric J Horstick
- Program in Genomics of Differentiation, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, Bethesda, Maryland
| | - Diana C Jordan
- Program in Genomics of Differentiation, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, Bethesda, Maryland
| | - Vilma Aho
- Institute of Biomedicine, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland; and
| | | | - Gal Haspel
- Department of Biological Sciences, New Jersey Institute of Technology, Newark, New Jersey
| | - Harold A Burgess
- Program in Genomics of Differentiation, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, Bethesda, Maryland;
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Fero K, Bergeron SA, Horstick EJ, Codore H, Li GH, Ono F, Dowling JJ, Burgess HA. Impaired embryonic motility in dusp27 mutants reveals a developmental defect in myofibril structure. Dis Model Mech 2013; 7:289-98. [PMID: 24203884 PMCID: PMC3917250 DOI: 10.1242/dmm.013235] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
An essential step in muscle fiber maturation is the assembly of highly ordered myofibrils that are required for contraction. Much remains unknown about the molecular mechanisms governing the formation of the contractile apparatus. We identified an early embryonic motility mutant in zebrafish caused by integration of a transgene into the pseudophosphatase dual specificity phosphatase 27 (dusp27) gene. dusp27 mutants exhibit near complete paralysis at embryonic and larval stages, producing extremely low levels of spontaneous coiling movements and a greatly diminished touch response. Loss of dusp27 does not prevent somitogenesis but results in severe disorganization of the contractile apparatus in muscle fibers. Sarcomeric structures in mutants are almost entirely absent and only rare triads are observed. These findings are the first to implicate a functional role of dusp27 as a gene required for myofiber maturation and provide an animal model for analyzing the mechanisms governing myofibril assembly.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kandice Fero
- Program in Genomics of Differentiation, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
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Nguyen M, Poudel MK, Stewart AM, Kalueff AV. Skin too thin? The developing utility of zebrafish skin (neuro)pharmacology for CNS drug discovery research. Brain Res Bull 2013; 98:145-54. [DOI: 10.1016/j.brainresbull.2013.08.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/25/2013] [Revised: 08/25/2013] [Accepted: 08/26/2013] [Indexed: 01/04/2023]
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Smedemark-Margulies N, Trapani JG. Tools, methods, and applications for optophysiology in neuroscience. Front Mol Neurosci 2013; 6:18. [PMID: 23882179 PMCID: PMC3713398 DOI: 10.3389/fnmol.2013.00018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/09/2013] [Accepted: 06/27/2013] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The advent of optogenetics and genetically encoded photosensors has provided neuroscience researchers with a wealth of new tools and methods for examining and manipulating neuronal function in vivo. There exists now a wide range of experimentally validated protein tools capable of modifying cellular function, including light-gated ion channels, recombinant light-gated G protein-coupled receptors, and even neurotransmitter receptors modified with tethered photo-switchable ligands. A large number of genetically encoded protein sensors have also been developed to optically track cellular activity in real time, including membrane-voltage-sensitive fluorophores and fluorescent calcium and pH indicators. The development of techniques for controlled expression of these proteins has also increased their utility by allowing the study of specific populations of cells. Additionally, recent advances in optics technology have enabled both activation and observation of target proteins with high spatiotemporal fidelity. In combination, these methods have great potential in the study of neural circuits and networks, behavior, animal models of disease, as well as in high-throughput ex vivo studies. This review collects some of these new tools and methods and surveys several current and future applications of the evolving field of optophysiology.
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Chiu CN, Prober DA. Regulation of zebrafish sleep and arousal states: current and prospective approaches. Front Neural Circuits 2013; 7:58. [PMID: 23576957 PMCID: PMC3620505 DOI: 10.3389/fncir.2013.00058] [Citation(s) in RCA: 48] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/07/2013] [Accepted: 03/14/2013] [Indexed: 01/20/2023] Open
Abstract
Every day, we shift among various states of sleep and arousal to meet the many demands of our bodies and environment. A central puzzle in neurobiology is how the brain controls these behavioral states, which are essential to an animal's well-being and survival. Mammalian models have predominated sleep and arousal research, although in the past decade, invertebrate models have made significant contributions to our understanding of the genetic underpinnings of behavioral states. More recently, the zebrafish has emerged as a promising model system for sleep and arousal research. Here we review experimental evidence that the zebrafish, a diurnal vertebrate, exhibits fundamental behavioral and neurochemical characteristics of mammalian sleep and arousal. We also propose how specific advantages of the zebrafish can be harnessed to advance the field. These include tractable genetics to identify and manipulate molecular and cellular regulators of behavioral states, optical transparency to facilitate in vivo observation of neural structure and function, and amenability to high-throughput drug screens to discover novel therapies for neurological disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - David A. Prober
- Division of Biology, California Institute of TechnologyPasadena, CA, USA
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