WIKIMEDIA, MARRABBIO2
Zebrafish (Danio rerio) have two conserved genes encoding enzymes that can make gadusol, an antioxidant and ultraviolet (UV) light-protective compound previously thought to be acquired from food sources, according to a study published this week (May 12) in eLife.
Gadusol is made by bacteria and algae, and was previously found in cod roe, sponges, mantis shrimp eyes, and the eggs of brine shrimp and sea urchins. Scientists believed that these species gained the compound from symbiotic bacteria or from eating algae.
In the latest study, researchers from Oregon State University (OSU) discovered that zebrafish themselves had the two enzymes necessary to make the molecule. The genes encoding the enzymes are conserved in amphibians, reptiles, and birds, but not mammals or coelacanths, suggesting that they were ...
