Efficient Transgenesis in African Turquoise Killifish Using a Gibson Assembly-Based Tol2 Transposon System

Cold Spring Harb Protoc. 2024 Mar 1;2024(3):pdb.prot107806. doi: 10.1101/pdb.prot107806.

Abstract

The short-lived African killifish Nothobranchius furzeri is an attractive genetic model for vertebrate aging and regeneration studies. The utilization of genetically modified animals is a common strategy for unveiling molecular mechanisms responsible for a biological phenomenon. Here, we report a highly efficient protocol for generating transgenic African killifish using the Tol2 transposon system, which creates random insertions in the genome. Transgenic vectors carrying gene-expression cassettes of interest and an eye-specific marker for transgene identification can be quickly assembled through Gibson assembly. The development of this new pipeline will facilitate transgenic reporter assays and gene-expression-related manipulations in African killifish.

MeSH terms

  • Aging*
  • Animals
  • Animals, Genetically Modified
  • Fundulus heteroclitus
  • Gene Transfer Techniques*
  • Killifishes*
  • Transgenes

Supplementary concepts

  • Nothobranchius furzeri