Making designer mutants in model organisms.

Recent advances in the targeted modification of complex eukaryotic genomes have unlocked a new era of genome engineering. From the pioneering work using zinc-finger nucleases (ZFNs), to the advent of the versatile and specific TALEN systems, and most recently the highly accessible CRISPR/Cas9 systems, we now possess an unprecedented ability to analyze developmental processes using sophisticated designer genetic tools. In this Review, we summarize the common approaches and applications of these still-evolving tools as they are being used in the most popular model developmental systems. Excitingly, these robust and simple genomic engineering tools also promise to revolutionize developmental studies using less well established experimental organisms.

A highly accessible classroom aquaculture rig.

Embryology can be a rich component of early scientific experiences, and the zebrafish (Danio rerio) is an outstanding model for the study of life science. Most often, the production and maintenance of embryos is left to professional scientists. In this work, we describe a set of experiments performed together by all of the students of Lincoln K-8 Choice School in Rochester, MN. The experimental hypothesis is that larger aquarium volumes will yield higher reproductive success for zebrafish. Over 5 weeks of experiments, students demonstrated that larger clutch sizes were produced by zebrafish in 29-gallon tanks than 20-gallon tanks. Moreover, the experiment addressed the safety concerns and preparation necessary to do zebrafish science in K-8 classrooms.