Transgenic zebrafish specifically express Fadsd6 and Elvol5a in liver. (a) Schematics of the liver-specific activator plasmid pT2-LF-Tta (containing an activator (tTA) driven by the zebrafish fabp10 promoter) and two tetracycline-responsive plasmids (pT2-TRE-fadsd6-TCFP11 and pT2-TRE-elvol5a-TCFP13). All expression cassettes are flanked by the Tol2 transposon. (b) Fluorescence microscopy images of F3 Fadsd6 (red) and Elvol5a (green) transgenic zebrafish larvae, taken at five days (5D) after hatching. (c) RT-PCR was used to detect exogenous gene expression of Fadsd6 and Elvol5a in adult transgenic and Wt zebrafish. (d) Western blots were performed to detect fusion of the V5-tag to Fadsd6 and Elvol5a in transgenic and Wt zebrafish. Mouse β-actin was used as a positive control

Survival rates of zebrafish after infection with V. vulnificus for 48 h (a) Photographs of Wt zebrafish control (left) and Wt fish challenged with V. vulnificus (middle and right) at 9 h after IP injection revealed bleeding at the ventral sides of the infected fish body. (b) Survival rates of Wt and transgenic fish injected with V. vulnificus (Wt-control was not infected and Wt-PBS was injected with PBS). Survival rates were determined at the indicated times after infection. Each experimental group contained 30 adult zebrafish

Histology of liver sections after challenge with V. vulnificus (a) H&E (Hematoxylin and eosin) staining revealed hepatocyte damage (black arrows) and lymphocyte infiltration (blue arrow) in Wt fish after challenge with V. vulnificus. (b) TUNEL-assay was performed to confirm cell death (brown signals, indicated by black arrows) in Wt fish after challenge with V. vulnificus. Scale bars = 100 µm