title: Characterization of stable fluorescent transgenic marine medaka (Oryzias dancena) lines carrying red fluorescent protein gene driven by myosin light chain 2 promoter.
abstract: Stable transgenic germlines carrying the red fluorescence protein (RFP) gene (rfp) driven by fast skeletal myosin light chain-2 gene (mlc2f) promoter were established in a truly euryhaline fish species, the marine medaka (Oryzias dancena; Beloniformes). Transgenic lines contained transgene copy numbers varying from a single copy to more than 230 copies per genome. Although the transgenic founders displayed mosaic and/or ectopic expression of the RFP signal, the resultant F1 transgenics and their progeny showed consistently stable transmission of the transgenic locus and uniform RFP signal through several subsequent generations. In adult transgenics, an authentic brilliant red fluorescence was achieved over the skeletal muscles of the transgenic individuals, which might be sufficient for ornamental display. Expression analysis of the transgenic mRNAs indicated that rfp transcripts were predominantly expressed in the skeletal muscles. Different transgenic lines displayed different levels of transgene expression at the mRNA, protein, and phenotypic levels. However, the efficiency of transgene expression was independent of the transgene copy number. The RFP protein levels were consistently stable in the transgenic fish muscles through several generations, up to F5. The results of this study suggest that transgenic marine medaka that acquire strong fluorescent signals in their skeletal muscles can be developed as a promising, novel ornamental fish for display in both freshwater and seawater aquaria.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Marine Living Modified Organisms, Pukyong National University, Busan 608-737, Korea.
authors.forename: Young Sun
authors.initials: YS
authors.lastname: Cho
authors.forename: Sang Yoon
authors.initials: SY
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Dong Soo
authors.initials: DS
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Yoon Kwon
authors.initials: YK
authors.lastname: Nam
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000818:Animals; D030801:Animals, Genetically Modified; D024722:Cardiac Myosins / Q000235:genetics; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation; D049452:Green Fluorescent Proteins / Q000235:genetics; D006801:Humans; D008164:Luminescent Proteins / Q000235:genetics*; D018482:Muscle, Skeletal / Q000254:growth & development / Q000378:metabolism; D018994:Myosin Light Chains / Q000235:genetics; D009990:Oryzias / Q000235:genetics*; D011401:Promoter Regions, Genetic; D000097573:Red Fluorescent Protein
chemical_list: D024722:Cardiac Myosins; D049452:Green Fluorescent Proteins; D008164:Luminescent Proteins; D018994:Myosin Light Chains; D000097573:Red Fluorescent Protein; C107184:myosin light chain 2