Exploring Lipoprotein De-fish-encies As A Result of Genetic Mutations

Overview

One in three people are affected by metabolic disorders including obesity, high cholesterol, and high blood pressure, leading to increased risk of stroke, diabetes, and heart disease. The study of lipoproteins, which are macromolecules that play a crucial role in lipid transport in vertebrates, is essential to unpacking these diseases further. Deficiencies in lipoprotein production are a significant factor in the development of metabolic disorders. Zebrafish are particularly valuable for studying metabolic disorders because of their optical clarity during larval stages. My research analyzes mutations that affect the yolk, where the fish store fats and proteins during embryonic and larval stages. To conduct a zebrafish mutant screen to investigate lipoprotein production, mutations were introduced across the zebrafish genome using chemical mutagenesis When zebrafish develop lipoprotein production disorders, the yolk sac becomes opaque, leading to a phenomenon known as “dark yolk”. My research focuses on Mutants 17 and 22, two of over thirty dark yolk screen mutants. For Mutant 22, genome sequencing followed by CRISPR/Cas9 editing of candidate genes is being used to find the target gene causing the dark yolk. Complementation crossing against mia2/ctage5 mutants revealed Mutant 17 has a mutation in the same gene. Research with other ctage5 mutants can help reveal more about the relationship between ctage5 and lipoprotein production. My research in lipoprotein production contributes to our understanding of how metabolic diseases are influenced by blood lipid levels and may contribute to efforts to mitigate their harmful effects.

Competition history

• JSHS 2024 Category not listed

Resources

• National JSHS abstract book ↗

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