Bacteriophage lambda and plasmid pUR288 transgenic fish models for detecting in vivo mutations

Area of Science:

• Environmental toxicology
• Genetics
• Molecular biology

Background:

• Existing transgenic rodent mutation assays require improvement for assessing environmental mutagen health risks.
• There is a need for novel animal models to study mutagenesis in vivo.

Purpose of the Study:

• To adapt transgenic rodent mutation assays using fish for improved assessment of environmental mutagen exposure.
• To establish transgenic fish as a new animal model for in vivo mutagenesis research.

Main Methods:

• Transgenic fish carrying bacteriophage lambda and plasmid pUR288 vectors were developed.
• Vectors were isolated from fish DNA and transferred to specialized E. coli strains.
• Spontaneous and induced mutations were analyzed using lacI, cII, and lacZ targets.

Main Results:

• Transgenic fish showed low spontaneous mutation frequencies, comparable to transgenic rodent models.
• Mutations induced by chemical mutagens exhibited concentration-dependent, tissue-specific, and time-dependent patterns.
• Observed mutational spectra aligned with the known specificities of tested mutagens.

Conclusions:

• Transgenic fish provide a sensitive and effective model for in vivo mutagenesis studies.
• This approach enhances the assessment of health risks associated with environmental mutagens.
• The findings support the utility of transgenic fish for toxicological and genetic research.