Transgenic XXXX overexpressing a melanin-concentrating hormone exhibit lightened body color but no remarkable abnormality.

@entity6251 @entity7021
@entity6251 ( @entity6251 ) is a cyclic heptadecapeptide that concentrates melanin granules in the melanophores and lightens the body color of a fish. To investigate the utility of @entity6251 as a reporter gene, a transgenic @entity7021 overexpressing the @entity6251 gene was established and its phenotypic features were examined. The salmon @entity6251 gene driven by cytomegalovirus promoter was injected into 100 fertilized eggs of the HNI-1 @entity7021 , which exhibits black body color. One F(0) female transmitted the transgene and a lightened body color phenotype to the F(1) generation. A homozygous transgenic strain was established by crossing F(2) fish homozygous for the transgene. Expression of the transgene was detected in several organs by Northern blotting. The melanin granules of transgenics were highly shrunk. Bioassay using scales confirmed the secretion of @entity6251 into blood, and the @entity6251 concentration was estimated between 0.5 and 5 microM. Development, growth, feeding behavior, and reproduction of transgenics did not differ significantly among transgenic and nontransgenic siblings. The result whereby enhanced @entity6251 expression induced a change in body color, but no remarkable abnormality, suggests the usefulness of @entity6251 as a novel reporter gene with unique features.
