Gene editing nuclease and its application in tilapia

Area of Science:

• * Molecular Biology and Genetics
• * Aquatic Biology and Ichthyology

Background:

• * Gene editing nucleases, including zinc-finger nucleases (ZFNs), transcription activator-like effector nucleases (TALENs), and CRISPR-associated protein 9 (CRISPR/Cas9), offer advanced capabilities for biological research.
• * These technologies facilitate the generation of knockout and knockin models across numerous species, aiding in the understanding of physiological processes and mechanisms.
• * Fish represent a significant portion of vertebrate diversity and serve as valuable models for diverse biological studies.

Purpose of the Study:

• * To provide a comprehensive overview of the recent advancements in employing gene editing nucleases in fish species research.
• * To specifically focus on the application of TALENs and CRISPR/Cas9 for investigating sex determination mechanisms in tilapia.

Main Methods:

• * Review of existing literature on gene editing applications in fish.
• * Focus on studies utilizing TALENs and CRISPR/Cas9 systems.
• * Analysis of research concerning sex determination in tilapia.

Main Results:

• * Gene editing nucleases have been successfully applied to create genetic models in various fish species.
• * TALENs and CRISPR/Cas9 are powerful tools for functional genomics in fish.
• * These methods are instrumental in dissecting complex biological processes like sex determination.

Conclusions:

• * Gene editing technologies significantly enhance our ability to study fish biology and genetics.
• * TALENs and CRISPR/Cas9 are particularly effective for creating fish models to study traits like sex determination.
• * Continued application of these tools will accelerate discoveries in fish physiology and evolution.