Zebrafish as a Platform for Genetic Screening

Abstract Genetic screening is a powerful tool for understanding gene function. By randomly changing the DNA in an organism's genome to produce interesting traits, and then determining what DNA was altered, researchers can understand how genomes sculpt organisms. Many intrinsic characteristics have elevated the zebrafish to premiere status among organisms used in genetic screens. Here I discuss some history that brought zebrafish to the forefront of genetic screening, different mutagenesis approaches, mutant recovery, types of phenotypes discovered in genetic screens, finding the genomic change, validation that a genotype produces a phenotype, and finally mutation characterization. Even with exciting new genome editing technologies available, genetic screening in zebrafish to unbiasedly uncover phenotypes and their causative genotypes remains an invaluable tool for biomedical research.