Nockout (KO) zebrafish, which provided a new genetic model system to

Nockout (KO) zebrafish, which provided a new genetic model system to study FXS [33]. However, research analyzing the phenotypic characteristics of fmr1 KO zebrafish in adulthood is sparse. In a previous study, we reported that the telencephalon is physiologically involved in the process of fear memory formation in the inhibitory avoidance task in zebrafish [34]. The present study aimed to further characterize the effects of the loss of FMRP on cognitive phenotypes by investigating possible differences in cognitive behavior in inhibitory avoidance and synaptic plasticity at the Dl-Dm synapse of telencephalon in adult fmr1 KO zebrafish.genotype the hu2787 allele, a mismatch has been introduced into the forward primer. During PCR, this mismatch creates an RsaI restriction enzyme site in the amplified product derived from the WT DNA template. The RsaI site is not present in the PCR product containing the hu2787 mutation. A 222-bp PCR product was generated using forward Epigenetics primer (59-CTA AAT GAA ATC GTC ACA TTA GAG AGG GTA) and reverse primer (59TCCATG ACA TCC TGC ATT AG). The amplification reaction mixture (50 mL) contained 200 ng genomic DNA, 0.5 mM of each dNTP, 1 mM of each primer, 1 unit Prozyme DNA polymerase (Protech Enterprise, Taipei, Taiwan) and 16 PCR buffer. The PCR reaction conditions began with a denaturation at 94uC for 4 min, followed by 40 cycles of 94uC for 30 seconds, 60uC for 30 seconds and 72uC for 20 seconds; lastly, 5 min at 72uC. After amplification, the PCR product was digested by RsaI restriction enzyme in 1 X restriction enzyme buffer. Finally, digested PCR products were separated by electrophoresis in 3 agarose gel. The PCR products derived from the WT template were cleaved to 193-and 29-bp DNA fragments.Western blot analysisAfter the animals were scarified, the telencephalon brain region was quickly removed from the skull and homogenized using a TPER tissue protein extraction reagent kit (Pierce Biotechnology, Inc., Rockford, IL) with the addition of the Halt Protease Inhibitor Cocktail. The protein concentration was determined by the Bradford protein assay, and an equal amount of protein (25 mg per sample) was subjected to SDS?0 PAGE. The proteins separated on the gel of the SDS AGE were transferred to a PVDF membrane (Millipore, Bedford, MA). For the immunedetection, the membrane was first blocked with 5 skim milk and 0.05 Tween in PBS for 1 h at room temperature. The primary Epigenetics antibodies used for the detection were rabbit anti-FMRP (1:4,000; Gift from Dr. Willemsen, #758) antibodies. The membranes were incubated with primary antibodies overnight at 4uC and, subsequently, with HRP-conjugated secondary antibodies for 1 h at room temperature. Finally, the detected signals were visualized with enhanced chemiluminescence (Bioman Scientific Co. Ltd., Taiwan) and quantitatively analyzed by a LAS3000 digital imaging system (Fujifilm, Tokyo, Japan).Materials and Methods fmr1 knockout (KO) zebrafishZebrafish mutants carrying the fmr1hu2787 allele were obtained from the Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute Zebrafish Mutant Resource. This allele carries a C432T change, which causes a premature termination at codon position 113 [33]. Fish (4? months of age) of both sexes were used for these experiments; fmr1 KO and control fish of the TL background were maintained according to standard procedures [35] and following guidelines approved by the Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee (IACUC) of National Taiwan Normal University.Nockout (KO) zebrafish, which provided a new genetic model system to study FXS [33]. However, research analyzing the phenotypic characteristics of fmr1 KO zebrafish in adulthood is sparse. In a previous study, we reported that the telencephalon is physiologically involved in the process of fear memory formation in the inhibitory avoidance task in zebrafish [34]. The present study aimed to further characterize the effects of the loss of FMRP on cognitive phenotypes by investigating possible differences in cognitive behavior in inhibitory avoidance and synaptic plasticity at the Dl-Dm synapse of telencephalon in adult fmr1 KO zebrafish.genotype the hu2787 allele, a mismatch has been introduced into the forward primer. During PCR, this mismatch creates an RsaI restriction enzyme site in the amplified product derived from the WT DNA template. The RsaI site is not present in the PCR product containing the hu2787 mutation. A 222-bp PCR product was generated using forward primer (59-CTA AAT GAA ATC GTC ACA TTA GAG AGG GTA) and reverse primer (59TCCATG ACA TCC TGC ATT AG). The amplification reaction mixture (50 mL) contained 200 ng genomic DNA, 0.5 mM of each dNTP, 1 mM of each primer, 1 unit Prozyme DNA polymerase (Protech Enterprise, Taipei, Taiwan) and 16 PCR buffer. The PCR reaction conditions began with a denaturation at 94uC for 4 min, followed by 40 cycles of 94uC for 30 seconds, 60uC for 30 seconds and 72uC for 20 seconds; lastly, 5 min at 72uC. After amplification, the PCR product was digested by RsaI restriction enzyme in 1 X restriction enzyme buffer. Finally, digested PCR products were separated by electrophoresis in 3 agarose gel. The PCR products derived from the WT template were cleaved to 193-and 29-bp DNA fragments.Western blot analysisAfter the animals were scarified, the telencephalon brain region was quickly removed from the skull and homogenized using a TPER tissue protein extraction reagent kit (Pierce Biotechnology, Inc., Rockford, IL) with the addition of the Halt Protease Inhibitor Cocktail. The protein concentration was determined by the Bradford protein assay, and an equal amount of protein (25 mg per sample) was subjected to SDS?0 PAGE. The proteins separated on the gel of the SDS AGE were transferred to a PVDF membrane (Millipore, Bedford, MA). For the immunedetection, the membrane was first blocked with 5 skim milk and 0.05 Tween in PBS for 1 h at room temperature. The primary antibodies used for the detection were rabbit anti-FMRP (1:4,000; Gift from Dr. Willemsen, #758) antibodies. The membranes were incubated with primary antibodies overnight at 4uC and, subsequently, with HRP-conjugated secondary antibodies for 1 h at room temperature. Finally, the detected signals were visualized with enhanced chemiluminescence (Bioman Scientific Co. Ltd., Taiwan) and quantitatively analyzed by a LAS3000 digital imaging system (Fujifilm, Tokyo, Japan).Materials and Methods fmr1 knockout (KO) zebrafishZebrafish mutants carrying the fmr1hu2787 allele were obtained from the Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute Zebrafish Mutant Resource. This allele carries a C432T change, which causes a premature termination at codon position 113 [33]. Fish (4? months of age) of both sexes were used for these experiments; fmr1 KO and control fish of the TL background were maintained according to standard procedures [35] and following guidelines approved by the Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee (IACUC) of National Taiwan Normal University.