Guarding embryo development of zebrafish by shell engineering: a strategy to shield life from ozone depletion.
BACKGROUND
The reduced concentration of stratospheric ozone results in an increased flux of biologically damaging mid-ultraviolet radiation (UVB, 280 to 320 nm) reaching earth surfaces. Environmentally relevant levels of UVB negatively impact various natural populations of marine organisms, which is ascribed to suppressed embryonic development by increased radiation.


RESULTS
Inspired by strategies in the living systems generated by evolution, we induce an extra UVB-adsorbed coat on the chorion (eggshell surrounding embryo) of zebrafish, during the blastula period. Short and long UV exposure experiments show that the artificial mineral-shell reduces the UV radiation effectively and the enclosed embryos become more robust. In contrast, the uncoated embryos cannot survive under the enhanced UVB condition.


CONCLUSIONS
We suggest that an engineered shell of functional materials onto biological units can be developed as a strategy to shield lives to counteract negative changes of global environment, or to provide extra protection for the living units in biological research.
Wang
Ben
B
Center for Biomaterials and Biopathways, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, People's Republic of China.
Liu
Peng
P
Tang
Yanyan
Y
Pan
Haihua
H
Xu
Xurong
X
Tang
Ruikang
R
D000818:Animals; D001272:Atmosphere; D036703:Blastula; D002823:Chorion; D047108:Embryonic Development / Q000528:radiation effects*; D008903:Minerals / Q000627:therapeutic use; D010126:Ozone; D011835:Radiation Protection / Q000379:methods*; D014466:Ultraviolet Rays / Q000009:adverse effects*; D015027:Zebrafish
D008903:Minerals; D010126:Ozone