Biochemical characterization of medaka (Oryzias latipes) fibrinogen gamma and its gene disruption resulting in anemia as a model fish

Abstract

Abstract At the final stages of blood coagulation, fibrinogen is processed into insoluble fibrin by thrombin resulting in fibril-like structure formation. Via further cross-linking reactions between the fibrin gamma subunit by the catalytic action of blood transglutaminase (Factor XIII), this molecule gains further physical stability. Meanwhile, since fibrinogen is expressed in various cells and tissues, this molecule can exhibit other functions apart from its role in blood coagulation. To create a system studying on aberrant coagulation and investigate the physiological functions, using a model fish medaka (Oryzias latipes), we established gene-deficient mutants of fibrinogen gamma subunit protein in parallel with its biochemical analysis, such as tissue distribution pattern and substrate properties. By genetic deletion via genome editing, two distinct mutants displayed retardation of blood coagulation. The mutants showed lower hematocrit with aberrant erythrocyte maturation, which indicates that fibrin deficiency caused severe anemia, and also appeared as a model for investigation of the fibrin function.