A forward genetic screen identifies Dolk as a regulator of startle magnitude through the potassium channel subunit Kv1.1.

The acoustic startle response is an evolutionarily conserved avoidance behavior. Disruptions in startle behavior, particularly startle magnitude, are a hallmark of several human neurological disorders. While the neural circuitry underlying startle behavior has been studied extensively, the repertoire of genes and genetic pathways that regulate this locomotor behavior has not been explored using an unbiased genetic approach.

Pregnancy-associated plasma protein-aa supports hair cell survival by regulating mitochondrial function.

To support cell survival, mitochondria must balance energy production with oxidative stress. Inner ear hair cells are particularly vulnerable to oxidative stress; thus require tight mitochondrial regulation. We identified a novel molecular regulator of the hair cells' mitochondria and survival: Pregnancy-associated plasma protein-aa (Pappaa).

2,4-Dichlorophenoxyacetic acid containing herbicide impairs essential visually guided behaviors of larval fish.

Aquatic herbicides are used worldwide to eradicate nuisance and invasive plants despite limited knowledge of their toxicity to non-target organisms. 2,4-Dichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2,4-D) is a common active ingredient in commercial herbicide formulations, which triggers plant cell death by mimicking the plant-specific hormone auxin. Application practices of 2,4-D commercial herbicides typically coincide with yearly freshwater fish spawning periods.

Adult zebrafish primarily use vision to guide piscivorous foraging behavior.

The sensory modalities used by predatory fish to detect and capture prey are a key dimension of their foraging strategy. Determining the sensory cues that guide predation can also further conservation efforts under environmental change, and address the welfare of research animals. Here, we experimentally manipulated the sensory modalities used by adult zebrafish (Danio rerio) when foraging for larval conspecifics in captivity.

Zebrafish expression reporters and mutants reveal that the IgSF cell adhesion molecule Dscamb is required for feeding and survival.

Down syndrome cell adhesion molecules (DSCAMs) are broadly expressed in nervous systems and play conserved roles in programmed cell death, neuronal migration, axon guidance, neurite branching and spacing, and synaptic targeting. However, DSCAMs appear to have distinct functions in different vertebrate animals, and little is known about their functions outside the retina. We leveraged the genetic tractability and optical accessibility of larval zebrafish to investigate the expression and function of a DSCAM family member, dscamb.