title: New transgenic reporters identify somatosensory neuron subtypes in larval zebrafish.
abstract: To analyze somatosensory neuron diversity in larval zebrafish, we identified several enhancers from the zebrafish and pufferfish genomes and used them to create five new reporter transgenes. Sequential deletions of three of these enhancers identified small sequence elements sufficient to drive expression in zebrafish trigeminal and Rohon-Beard (RB) neurons. One of these reporters, using the Fru.p2x3-2 enhancer, highlighted a somatosensory neuron subtype that expressed both the p2rx3a and pkcα genes. Comparison with a previously described trpA1b reporter revealed that it highlighted the same neurons as the Fru.p2x3-2 reporter. To determine whether neurons of this subtype possess characteristic peripheral branching morphologies or central axon projection patterns, we analyzed the morphology of single neurons. Surprisingly, although these analyses revealed diversity in peripheral axon branching and central axon projection, PKCα/p2rx3a/trpA1b-expressing RB cells did not possess obvious characteristic morphological features, suggesting that even within this molecularly defined subtype, individual neurons may possess distinct properties. The new transgenes created in this study will be powerful tools for further characterizing the molecular, morphological, and developmental diversity of larval somatosensory neurons.
authors.affiliation: Department of Molecular, Cell and Developmental Biology, University of California, Los Angeles 90095, USA.
authors.forename: Ana Marie S
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Palanca
authors.forename: Sung-Ling
authors.initials: SL
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Laura E
authors.initials: LE
authors.lastname: Yee
authors.forename: Carlee
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Joe-Wong
authors.forename: Le A
authors.initials: le A
authors.lastname: Trinh
authors.forename: Elizabeth
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Hiroyasu
authors.forename: Majid
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Husain
authors.forename: Scott E
authors.initials: SE
authors.lastname: Fraser
authors.forename: Matteo
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Pellegrini
authors.forename: Alvaro
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Sagasti
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D030801:Animals, Genetically Modified; D001369:Axons / Q000502:physiology; D003001:Cloning, Molecular; D004625:Embryo, Nonmammalian; D017930:Genes, Reporter / Q000235:genetics*; D049452:Green Fluorescent Proteins / Q000235:genetics; D017404:In Situ Hybridization, Fluorescence; D007814:Larva / Q000502:physiology*; D018613:Microscopy, Confocal; D017933:Peripheral Nervous System / Q000166:cytology / Q000196:embryology; D051571:Protein Kinase C-alpha / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics; D020917:Receptor, trkA / Q000235:genetics; D011984:Sensory Receptor Cells / Q000145:classification / Q000502:physiology*; D013045:Species Specificity; D023741:Takifugu; D019076:Transgenes / Q000235:genetics*; D014276:Trigeminal Nerve / Q000196:embryology / Q000254:growth & development; D015027:Zebrafish / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D049452:Green Fluorescent Proteins; D020917:Receptor, trkA; D051571:Protein Kinase C-alpha