Optimized laboratory conditions for research models are crucial for the success of scientific projects. This includes controlling the entire life cycle, having access to all developmental stages and maintaining stable physiological conditions. Reducing the life cycle of a research model can also enhance the access to biological material and speed up genetic tool development. Thus, we optimized the rearing conditions for the sea anemone Nematostella vectensis, a cnidarian research model, to study embryonic and post-metamorphic processes, such as regeneration. We adopted a semi-automated aquaculture system for N. vectensis and developed a dietary protocol optimized for the different life stages. Thereby, we increased spawning efficiencies, juvenile growth and survival rates, and considerably reduced the overall life cycle down to 2 months. To further improve the obtention of CRISPR-Cas9 mutants, we optimized the design of sgRNAs leading to full knockout animals in F0 polyps using a single sgRNA. Finally, we show that NHEJ-mediated transgene insertion is possible in N. vectensis. In summary, our study provides additional resources for the scientific community that uses or plans to use N. vectensis as a research model.

Author contributions

Conceptualization: J.E.C., O.D., A.R.A., E.R.; Data curation: J.E.C., A.R.A., E.R.; Formal analysis: J.E.C., M.B., O.D., A.R.A., E.R.; Funding acquisition: A.R.A., E.R.; Investigation: J.E.C., M.B., O.D., A.R.A., E.R.; Methodology: J. E.C., A.R.A., E.R.; Project administration: E.R.; Resources: O.D., A.R.A., E.R.; Supervision: A.R.A., E.R.; Validation: J.E.C., A.R.A., E.R.; Visualization: J.E.C., A.R.A., E.R.; Writing – original draft: J.E.C., O.D., A.R.A., E.R.; Writing – review & editing: J.E.C., A.R.A., E.R.

Funding

This work was supported by grants from the Fondation pour la Recherche Médicale (FRM) (SPF20170938703 to J.E.C., SPF20130526781 to A.R.A.) and from the Agence Nationale de la Recherche through the ‘Investments for the Future’ program IDEX UCAJedi (ANR-15-IDEX-01 to J.E.C. and E.R. via UniCA), and by the RENEW program (ANR-20-CE13-0014), the Region SUD and Centre national de la Recherche Scientifique Biology (DBM program) to E.R.

Data availability

All relevant data can be found within the article and its supplementary information.

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