Figure 5

Figure 5

brsk2ab^−/− zebrafish displayed gradually severe social defects as they grew up. The experimental paradigm of social preference tests at juvenile stage (A) and adult stage (B). (C) The experimental paradigm of shoaling tests at adult stage. (D) The brsk2ab^−/− zebrafish showed specious defects in social preference at 1 mpf and the SPI change was smaller than that of WT zebrafish (WT vs. brsk2ab^−/−, n = 15: 19; distance: 0.1116 ± 0.20 vs. −0.08843 ± 0.29, p = 0.0298; time: 0.1228 ± 0.16 vs. −0.0827 ± 0.32, p = 0.0327). (E) The discrepancy of SPI change was obvious at 1.5 mpf (WT vs. brsk2ab^−/−, n = 21: 23; distance: 0.5166 ± 0.46 vs. 0.03154 ± 0.40, p = 0.0005; time: 0.0160 ± 0.48 vs. −0.0307 ± 0.47, p = 0.7444). (F,H) The experimental paradigm of social preference tests in adulthood. The SPI of adult brsk2ab^−/− zebrafish was significantly decreased compared to WT fish both in distance and time ratios at 3 mpf (WT vs. brsk2ab^−/−, n = 18: 15, distance: 0.9858 ± 0.04 vs. 0.4247 ± 0.56, p = 0.0022; time: 0.9846 ± 0.05 vs. 0.3328 ± 0.66, 0.0029) and 4 mpf (WT vs. brsk2ab^−/−, n = 19: 19, distance: 0.9589 ± 0.09 vs. 0.7523 ± 0.43, p = 0.0072; time: 0.9486 ± 0.13 vs. 0.7361 ± 0.43, p = 0.0044). (G,I) The shoaling behavior tests exhibited the average inter-individual distance of brsk2ab^−/− zebrafish was smaller than that of WT fish at 3 mpf (WT vs. brsk2ab^−/−, n = 9: 10, 6.935 ± 0.99 vs. 14.07 ± 2.58, p < 0.0001) and 4 mpf (WT vs. brsk2ab^−/−, n = 12: 14, 6.785 ± 4.51 vs. 16.75 ± 3.56, p < 0.0001). Data for each genotype are presented as mean ± SEM. * p < 0.05, ** p < 0.01, *** p < 0.001,**** p < 0.0001.