Fig. 2

Zebrafish stat3 mutants develop late-onset scoliosis and cannot survive to adulthood.

(A) Growth curve of stat3^stl28/stl28 fish and siblings. (B) Body length of stat3^stl27/stl27 and stat3^stl27/+ and WT siblings at 18 dpf. Different genotypes were kept in the same tank and fed exclusively with rotifers to diminish food competition. (C) Survival rate of stat3^stl27/stl27, stat3^stl27/+ fish and WT siblings. (D) Images of live animals and Alizarin stained skeletons showing WT and zygotic stat3 mutant fish at 15 dpf (anterior to the left). Vertebral structures in the boxed region were revealed via Alizarin Red live staining and confocal imaging, shown in insets. (E) Images of live animals and Alizarin stained skeletons showing a WT and a zygotic stat3^stl28/stl28 mutant fish with two curves near the caudal fin (inset) at 22 dpf. Anterior to the left. (F) Images of live animals and Alizarin stained skeletons showing a WT and a scoliotic stat3^stl27/stl27 mutant fish at 46 dpf (anterior to the left). (G) μCT imaging showing body curvatures of WT sibling and stat3^stl27/stl27 mutant at 41 dpf (anterior to the left). (H) μCT imaging showing body curvatures of WT sibling and stat3^{sa15744/sa15744} mutant at 43 dpf (anterior to the left, arrow denote bend in spine). (I-J) Quantification of bone mineral density (H) and bone/tissue volume ratio (Bv/Tv, I) of stat3^stl27/stl27 (G). (K-L) Transcript levels of tnfα and il6 in WT and stat3^stl27/stl27 mutant animals detected by qRT-PCR at indicated developmental stages. (M-N) Survival rate and percentage of mutant fish with various numbers of body curves of MZ stat3^stl27/stl27 mutants. *p<0.05, ***p<0.001, ****p<0.0001, error bars = SEM. See also S2 Fig.