Infrared laser‐mediated local gene induction in medaka, zebrafish and Arabidopsis thaliana

• DOI: 10.1111/j.1440-169x.2009.01135.x
• Publication Date: 2010-07-13T12:50:19Z
• Authors: Tomonori Deguchi; Mariko Itoh; Hiroko Urawa; Tomohiro Matsumoto; Sohei Nakayama; Takashi Kawasaki; Takeshi Kitano; Shoji Oda; Hiroshi Mitani; Taku Takahashi; Takeshi Todo; Junichi Sato; Kiyotaka Okada; Kohei Hatta; Shunsuke Yuba; Yasuhiro Kamei
• Keywords: Transcriptional Activation; 0303 health sciences; Embryo, Nonmammalian; Infrared Rays; Lasers; Arabidopsis; Oryzias; Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental; Models, Biological; Animals, Genetically Modified; 03 medical and health sciences; Genes, Reporter; Gene Targeting; Animals; HSP70 Heat-Shock Proteins; Transgenes; Promoter Regions, Genetic; Zebrafish

Heat shock promoters are powerful tools for the precise control of exogenous gene induction in living organisms. In addition to the temporal control of gene expression, the analysis of gene function can also require spatial restriction. Recently, we reported a new method for in vivo, single‐cell gene induction using an infrared laser‐evoked gene operator (IR‐LEGO) system in living nematodes (Caenorhabditis elegans). It was demonstrated that infrared (IR) irradiation could induce gene expression in single cells without incurring cellular damage. Here, we report the application of IR‐LEGO to the small fish, medaka (Japanese killifish; Oryzias latipes) and zebrafish (Danio rerio), and a higher plant (Arabidopsis thaliana). Using easily observable reporter genes, we successfully induced gene expression in various tissues in these living organisms. IR‐LEGO has the potential to be a useful tool in extensive research fields for cell/tissue marking or targeted gene expression in local tissues of small fish and plants.