Transparent Danionella translucida as a genetically tractable vertebrate brain model. (November 2018) - Schulze, Lisanne
Abstract Understanding how distributed neuronal circuits integrate sensory information and generate behavior is a central goal of neuroscience. However, it has been difficult to study neuronal networks at single-cell resolution across the entire adult brain in vertebrates because of their size and opacity. We address this challenge here by introducing the fishDanionella translucida to neuroscience as a potential model organism. This teleost remains small and transparent even in adulthood, when neural circuits and behavior have matured. Despite having the smallest known adult vertebrate brain, D. translucida displays a rich set of complex behaviors, including courtship, shoaling, schooling, and acoustic communication. In order to carry out optical measurements and perturbations of neural activity with genetically encoded tools, we established CRISPR–Cas9 genome editing and Tol2 transgenesis techniques. These features makeD. translucida a promising model organism for the study of adult vertebrate brain function at single-cell resolution. The combination of transparency, small brain size and genetic access positionsDanionella translucida as a promising model organism for functional imaging of neuronal circuits, especially during complex behaviors in adults.