Zebrafish (Danio rerio) isogenic for biomedical research use

• Grant number: 18/19810-6
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Scientific Initiation
• Start date: February 01, 2019
• End date: December 31, 2022
• Field of knowledge: Agronomical Sciences - Fishery Resources and Fishery Engineering - Aquaculture
• Principal Investigator: Hirla Costa Silva Fukushima
• Grantee: Príncia Grejo Setti
• Host Institution: Centro de Ciências Biológicas e da Saúde (CCBS). Universidade Federal de São Carlos (UFSCAR). São Carlos , SP, Brazil

Abstract

This work is a partnership between the bioterium of UFSCar (Universidade Federal de São Carlos) and USP (Universidade de São Paulo), which aims to generate the possibilities to produce zebrafish under genetic control (free of specific pathogenicity - SPF) to be used in Brazilian researches. Zebrafish is an experimental model featured in biomedical research around the world and their employment is able to increase the efficiency of research and substantially reduce their costs. However, Brazil does not have producers with genetics defined and in this context the project has goal to evaluate the viability of Zebrafish SPF isogenic production for use in research institutions, business and government. It is proposed to produce the inbred zebrafish model for the zootechnical application of chromosome manipulation in newly fertilized SPF embryos. The gynogenesis technique will be used to create homozygous fish. To do so, it will be evaluated the Zebrafish in UV sperm exposure time/intensity to destroy their genetic material without impairing them, and different moments for the thermal chock in newly fertilized embryos (meiosis II, mitosis or mitosis II) that guarantee the production of homozygous. In addition, a rate of F2 will be inverted by male hormones to assess the viability of isogenic embryo production through the F2xF2 crossover. Therefore, it is intended to initiate the communication between aquaculture, bioterium and biomedical research programs, that guarantees the generation of animals without variations induced by genetic and sanitary factors. The results will be able to contribute to support scientific methods that ensure the application of the 3Rs (replacement, refinement, reduction) principle and improve the reproducibility and the competitivity of Brazilian researches around the globe.