Zebrafish Aquarium Facility

At the Interdepartmental Research Center for Molecular Biotechnologies (MBC) of the University of Turin, there are research infrastructures dedicated to animal housing, including a Zebrafish aquarium. The equipment has been acquired with contributions from Regione Piemonte and MIUR.

Equipment and Technical Specifications:

• Epifluorescence microscope
• Zebrafish oocyte injector
• Incubator for small embryos
• Two aquarium rooms, one of which is semi-automated and thermostated
• Wild-type lines and some fluorescently tagged lines

1. Microscopio con epifluorescenza
2. Iniettore per ovociti di zebrafish
3. Un incubatore per piccoli embrioni
4. 2 sale acquario, di cui 1 semi automatizzata e termostatata 
5. Linee wild-type e alcune linee con tag fluorescenti

• Housing, breeding, and genotyping
• Gene knockdown using Morpholino oligonucleotides
• Sample preparation, sectioning, and in situ hybridization
• Gene overexpression through mRNA microinjection
• Gene editing using CRISPR/Cas9

The importation of fish lines is strictly controlled.

• Usage is supervised by the facility manager and staff.
• After a training period, users may work independently but only with prior approval from the facility manager.
• Fees are determined based on specific requests.

Example Pricing:

• Housing only: 1 tank for 1 year, €150. To generate a new transgenic or gene-edited line, at least 8 tanks are required. Estimated cost for 1 year: €1,200.
• Zygote injection service: (including plates, capillary, machine, and technician time) €80 per session. Minimum 10 injections for a basic phenotypic examination.
• Fixation and preparation for fluorescence analysis: €50 per session.  Minimum 5 sessions.
• Morpholino Oligo + mRNA preparation and rescue kit: 
  • 3 Morpholinos (2 experimental, 1 control): €800
  • mRNA preparation kit: €400
  • Other reagents: €1,300
  • Total service cost: €2,500
• Gene Editing via CRISPR/Cas9: case-by-case evaluation.
• Fluorescence microscopy examination: must be arranged with the Microscopy Facility in the same building.

Molecular Biotechnology Center (MBC), Department of Molecular Biotechnology and Health Sciences, Via Nizza 52, Turin.

giorgioroberto.merlo@unito.it