Production of growth hormone transgenic Threespine Stickleback (Gasterosteus aculeatus) strains for biotechnology regulatory research

Genetically modified organisms are widely used in agriculture in many parts of the world, yet longstanding questions remain regarding potential impacts from their purposeful or accidental entry into natural environments. Several species of growth hormone (GH) transgenic salmon have been produced and subjected to risk assessment research in contained simulated-natural environments to estimate their fitness and potential ecological consequences. Due to their long and complex life history, assessments of genetically modified salmon through a full life-history in multiple environments and across generations remains problematic. To explore whether some of these inherent limitations could be overcome using a smaller species, we developed a new GH-transgenic fish model for ecological risk assessment research using Threespine Stickleback (Gasterosteus aculeatus), a small temperate species that is extensively used in ecological and evolutionary research. GH-transgenic stickleback exhibit increased growth in the laboratory compared with non-transgenic fish consistent with increases observed for GH transgenic salmon. This GH-transgenic fish model will assist in understanding the phenotypic effects and potential risks of GH-transgenic fish use, and, perhaps more importantly, further evaluate the validity of using surrogate species in risk assessment research.