Small Fish Species as Powerful Model Systems to Study Vertebrate Physiology in Space

Small fish models, mainly zebrafish (Danio rerio) and medaka (Oryzias latipes) present many advantages for studying vertebrate development and physiology. In recent years, the genome sequencing and annotation is proceeding rapidly for both species, opening the way to large-scale genome-wide analyses. Our aim is to investigate the changes induced by microgravity in small fish species by combining several whole genome approaches, with a special interest in bone related genes. We present data obtained by analyzing modulation of gene expression on a whole genome level in zebrafish exposed to two different microgravity simulation experiments or to the bonemetabolizing drug Parathyroid Hormone. Our results indicate that experimental conditions play a significant role and that a one-day exposure to clinorotation or Random Positioning Machine results in few genes regulated in common. In addition, the expression of several specific candidate genes was analyzed by quantitative RT-PCR in medaka.