Knockout ofLeads to Autism-like Behaviors and Developmental Delay in Zebrafish.

Abstract

mutations have been associated with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and other related neurodevelopmental disorders (NDDs) such as intellectual disability (ID) in several cohorts.has been implicated in brain development, as it is required for ciliogenesis inand is required for dendritic arborization in mice. However, a causative relationship between the disruption of Katnal2 function and behavioral defects has not been established. Here, we generated anull allele in zebrafish using CRISPR/Cas9-mediated genome editing and carried out morphological and behavioral characterizations. We observed thatembryos displayed delayed embryonic development especially during the convergence and extension (CE) movement. The hatched larvae showed reduced brain size and body length. In the behavioral tests, thezebrafish exhibited reduced locomotor activity both in larvae and adults; increased nocturnal waking activity in larvae; and enhanced anxiety-like behavior, impaired social interaction, and reduced social cohesion in adults. These findings indicate an important role forin development and behavior, providing an in vivo model to study the mechanisms underlying the ASD related tomutations.