Data from: microCT-based skeletal phenomics in zebrafish reveals virtues of deep phenotyping in a single organ system

Phenomics, which ideally involves in-depth phenotyping at the whole-organism scale, holds promise to significantly enhance our functional understanding of genes and genomic variation. Here, we demonstrate microCT-based methods to profile hundreds of traits in the axial skeleton of adult zebrafish. We show the potential for vertebral patterns to confer heightened sensitivity, with similar specificity, in discriminating mutant populations compared to analyzing individual vertebrae in isolation, even when the latter is performed at higher resolution. We identify phenotypes associated with human brittle bone disease and thyroid stimulating hormone receptor hyperactivity. Finally, we develop allometric models and show their potential to discriminate mutant phenotypes masked by growth alterations in growth. Our studies demonstrate virtues of deep phenotyping in a single organ system. Quantitative analysis of phenotypic patterns may increase productivity in genetic screens, and facilitate the study genetic variants of smaller effect size, such as those that underlie complex diseases.