Danionella translucida

Question 1

Briefly talk about the Danionella Translucida model in neuroscience.

Answer 1

The model has many advantages:

1. small: adult size is around 35mm.
2. The smallest vertebrate brain (.6mm^3 10 times smaller than the zebrafish).
3. Transparant brain (optically accessible for imaging).

The fish reproduce by crevice spawning (spawning is a form of external fertilization, in which eggs and ova are released into the water). one female hatch eggs (sticky hydrophobic and balloon-like) every 3-5 days, and they reach sexual maturity in 2-3 months. eggs form clutches of 14-15 eggs.

# they omit very loud sound (140DB), used for tracking and male-male territory demarcation.
# The auditory circuitry can be studied in this model using the advantage of in vivo Ca++ imaging.

Question 2

In what ways the model resemble and differ from Zebrafish?

Answer 2

The resemble Zebrafish in 2 characteristics:

1. Genetic modification: the model’s genome has been sequenced (RNA-seq) using Illumina and nanopore, and now for genetic modification transgenesis and CRISPR/cas9 are used.
2. complex adult behaviour: shoaling (grouping of fish together), and schooling (moving of fish together).
   behavior study is better in adults while benefiting from the transparency characteristic is better during larvae stages.

They only differ from Zebrafish in that they are hard to breed.