Transgenic fish and uses thereof
AssigneeCity University of Hong Kong
InventorsShuk Han CHENG, Xue Ping CHEN
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Abstract
The present invention relates to a transgenic fish having at least one genomically integrated expression cassette containing a 5′-regulatory nucleotide sequence responsive to hormones, particularly estrogenic hormones, connected in a functional manner upstream of a nucleotide sequence encoding a reporter protein. The present invention further relates to methods of using the transgenic fish for various purposes, including, for example: (1) identifying estrogenic endocrine disruptors; (2) monitoring estrogen-like activity of test samples; (3) identifying anti-estrogenic endocrine disruptors; and (4) investigating the effects of endocrine disruptors on liver regeneration. Expression cassettes, host cells, and transgenic cells of aquatic animals are also disclosed.
Claims47
An expression cassette comprising:
- a reporter nucleotide sequence encoding a reporter protein;
- an estrogen-responsive 5′-regulatory nucleotide sequence isolated from a medaka fish, wherein the regulatory nucleotide sequence is operably linked 5′ to the reporter nucleotide sequence to induce expression of the reporter protein in the presence of estrogen or an estrogen-like compound;
- and
- a 3′-regulatory region operably linked 3′ to the reporter nucleotide sequence.
A transgenic fish comprising:
- at least one expression cassette, wherein said at least one expression cassette comprises:
- (i) a reporter nucleotide sequence encoding a reporter protein;
- (ii) an estrogen-responsive 5′-regulatory nucleotide sequence isolated from a medaka fish, wherein the regulatory nucleotide sequence is operably linked 5′ to the reporter nucleotide sequence to induce expression of the reporter protein in the presence of estrogen or an estrogen-like compound;
- and
- (iii) a 3′-regulatory region operably linked 3′ to the reporter nucleotide sequence,
- wherein the transgenic fish exhibits an observable mark when exposed to a liquid medium containing an estrogen or an estrogen-like compound, and
- wherein the observable mark comprises the reporter protein expressed by the at least one expression cassette.
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Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.