PUBLICATION

Genetic analysis of digestive physiology using fluorescent phospholipid reporters

Authors
Farber, S.A., Pack, M., Ho, S.Y., Johnson, I.D., Wagner, D.S., Dosch, R., Mullins, M.C., Hendrickson, H.S., Hendrickson, E.K., and Halpern, M.E.
ID
ZDB-PUB-010522-2
Date
2001
Source
Science (New York, N.Y.)   292(5520): 1385-1388 (Journal)
Registered Authors
Dosch, Roland, Farber, Steven, Halpern, Marnie E., Ho, Shiu-Ying, Mullins, Mary C., Pack, Michael, Wagner, Daniel
Keywords
none
MeSH Terms
  • Phospholipids/metabolism*
  • Heptanoic Acids/pharmacology
  • Digestive System Physiological Phenomena*/drug effects
  • Boron Compounds/metabolism
  • Larva/drug effects
  • Larva/metabolism
  • Animals
  • Anticholesteremic Agents/pharmacology
  • Bile Acids and Salts/pharmacology
  • Zebrafish/embryology
  • Zebrafish/genetics
  • Zebrafish/metabolism*
  • Zebrafish/physiology
  • Cholesterol/metabolism
  • Fluorescent Dyes/metabolism*
  • Microscopy, Video
  • Atorvastatin
  • Mutation/genetics
  • Gallbladder/drug effects
  • Gallbladder/metabolism
  • Microscopy, Fluorescence
  • Signal Transduction/drug effects
  • Mice
  • Digestive System/drug effects
  • Digestive System/metabolism*
  • Digestive System/pathology
  • Lipase/metabolism
  • Pyrroles/pharmacology
PubMed
11359013 Full text @ Science
Abstract
Zebrafish are a valuable model for mammalian lipid metabolism; larvae process lipids similarly through the intestine and hepatobiliary system and respond to drugs that block cholesterol synthesis in humans. After ingestion of fluorescently quenched phospholipids, endogenous lipase activity and rapid transport of cleavage products results in intense gall bladder fluorescence. Genetic screening identifies zebrafish mutants, such as fat free, that show normal digestive organ morphology but severely reduced phospholipid and cholesterol processing. Thus, fluorescent lipids provide a sensitive readout of lipid metabolism and are a powerful tool for identifying genes that mediate vertebrate digestive physiology.
Genes / Markers
Figures
Expression
Phenotype
Mutations / Transgenics
Human Disease / Model
Sequence Targeting Reagents
Fish
Antibodies
Orthology
Engineered Foreign Genes
Mapping