51
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Madden JR, Langley EJG, Whiteside MA, Beardsworth CE, van Horik JO. The quick are the dead: pheasants that are slow to reverse a learned association survive for longer in the wild. Philos Trans R Soc Lond B Biol Sci 2019; 373:rstb.2017.0297. [PMID: 30104439 PMCID: PMC6107567 DOI: 10.1098/rstb.2017.0297] [Citation(s) in RCA: 54] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 06/06/2018] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Cognitive abilities probably evolve through natural selection if they provide individuals with fitness benefits. A growing number of studies demonstrate a positive relationship between performance in psychometric tasks and (proxy) measures of fitness. We assayed the performance of 154 common pheasant (Phasianus colchicus) chicks on tests of acquisition and reversal learning, using a different set of chicks and different set of cue types (spatial location and colour) in each of two years and then followed their fates after release into the wild. Across all birds, individuals that were slow to reverse previously learned associations were more likely to survive to four months old. For heavy birds, individuals that rapidly acquired an association had improved survival to four months, whereas for light birds, slow acquirers were more likely to be alive. Slow reversers also exhibited less exploratory behaviour in assays when five weeks old. Fast acquirers visited more artificial feeders after release. In contrast to most other studies, we showed that apparently ‘poor’ cognitive performance (slow reversal speed suggesting low behavioural flexibility) correlates with fitness benefits in at least some circumstances. This correlation suggests a novel mechanism by which continued exaggeration of cognitive abilities may be constrained. This article is part of the theme issue ‘Causes and consequences of individual differences in cognitive abilities’.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joah R Madden
- Centre for Research in Animal Behaviour, Psychology, University of Exeter, Exeter EX4 4QG, UK
| | - Ellis J G Langley
- Centre for Research in Animal Behaviour, Psychology, University of Exeter, Exeter EX4 4QG, UK
| | - Mark A Whiteside
- Centre for Research in Animal Behaviour, Psychology, University of Exeter, Exeter EX4 4QG, UK
| | - Christine E Beardsworth
- Centre for Research in Animal Behaviour, Psychology, University of Exeter, Exeter EX4 4QG, UK
| | - Jayden O van Horik
- Centre for Research in Animal Behaviour, Psychology, University of Exeter, Exeter EX4 4QG, UK
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52
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Hoke KL, Adkins-Regan E, Bass AH, McCune AR, Wolfner MF. Co-opting evo-devo concepts for new insights into mechanisms of behavioural diversity. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2019; 222:222/8/jeb190058. [PMID: 30988051 DOI: 10.1242/jeb.190058] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/29/2022]
Abstract
We propose that insights from the field of evolutionary developmental biology (or 'evo-devo') provide a framework for an integrated understanding of the origins of behavioural diversity and its underlying mechanisms. Towards that goal, in this Commentary, we frame key questions in behavioural evolution in terms of molecular, cellular and network-level properties with a focus on the nervous system. In this way, we highlight how mechanistic properties central to evo-devo analyses - such as weak linkage, versatility, exploratory mechanisms, criticality, degeneracy, redundancy and modularity - affect neural circuit function and hence the range of behavioural variation that can be filtered by selection. We outline why comparative studies of molecular and neural systems throughout ontogeny will provide novel insights into diversity in neural circuits and behaviour.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kim L Hoke
- Department of Biology, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO 80523, USA
| | - Elizabeth Adkins-Regan
- Department of Psychology, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853, USA.,Department of Neurobiology and Behavior, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853, USA
| | - Andrew H Bass
- Department of Neurobiology and Behavior, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853, USA
| | - Amy R McCune
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853, USA
| | - Mariana F Wolfner
- Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853, USA
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53
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Shuster SM, Willen RM, Keane B, Solomon NG. Alternative Mating Tactics in Socially Monogamous Prairie Voles, Microtus ochrogaster. Front Ecol Evol 2019. [DOI: 10.3389/fevo.2019.00007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
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54
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Abstract
The tremendous diversity of animal behaviors has inspired generations of scientists from an array of biological disciplines. To complement investigations of ecological and evolutionary factors contributing to behavioral evolution, modern sequencing, gene editing, computational and neuroscience tools now provide a means to discover the proximate mechanisms upon which natural selection acts to generate behavioral diversity. Social behaviors are motivated behaviors that can differ tremendously between closely related species, suggesting phylogenetic plasticity in their underlying biological mechanisms. In addition, convergent evolution has repeatedly given rise to similar forms of social behavior and mating systems in distantly related species. Social behavioral divergence and convergence provides an entry point for understanding the neurogenetic mechanisms contributing to behavioral diversity. We argue that the greatest strides in discovering mechanisms contributing to social behavioral diversity will be achieved through integration of interdisciplinary comparative approaches with modern tools in diverse species systems. We review recent advances and future potential for discovering mechanisms underlying social behavioral variation; highlighting patterns of social behavioral evolution, oxytocin and vasopressin neuropeptide systems, genetic/transcriptional "toolkits," modern experimental tools, and alternative species systems, with particular emphasis on Microtine rodents and Lake Malawi cichlid fishes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zachary V Johnson
- School of Biological Sciences, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
| | - Larry J Young
- Center for Translational Social Neuroscience, Silvio O. Conte Center for Oxytocin and Social Cognition, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Yerkes National Primate Research Center, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
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55
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Abstract
Social monogamy, typically characterized by the formation of a pair bond, increased territorial defense, and often biparental care, has independently evolved multiple times in animals. Despite the independent evolutionary origins of monogamous mating systems, several homologous brain regions and neuropeptides and their receptors have been shown to play a conserved role in regulating social affiliation and parental care, but little is known about the neuromolecular mechanisms underlying monogamy on a genomic scale. Here, we compare neural transcriptomes of reproductive males in monogamous and nonmonogamous species pairs of Peromyscus mice, Microtus voles, parid songbirds, dendrobatid frogs, and Xenotilapia species of cichlid fishes. We find that, while evolutionary divergence time between species or clades did not explain gene expression similarity, characteristics of the mating system correlated with neural gene expression patterns, and neural gene expression varied concordantly across vertebrates when species transition to monogamy. Our study provides evidence of a universal transcriptomic mechanism underlying the evolution of monogamy in vertebrates.
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56
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Social status alters chromatin accessibility and the gene regulatory response to glucocorticoid stimulation in rhesus macaques. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2018; 116:1219-1228. [PMID: 30538209 PMCID: PMC6347725 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1811758115] [Citation(s) in RCA: 53] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Low social status is an important predictor of disease susceptibility and mortality risk in humans and other social mammals. These effects are thought to stem in part from dysregulation of the glucocorticoid (GC)-mediated stress response. However, the molecular mechanisms that connect low social status and GC dysregulation to downstream health outcomes remain elusive. Here, we used an in vitro GC challenge to investigate the consequences of experimentally manipulated social status (i.e., dominance rank) for immune cell gene regulation in female rhesus macaques, using paired control and GC-treated peripheral blood mononuclear cell samples. We show that social status not only influences immune cell gene expression but also chromatin accessibility at hundreds of regions in the genome. Social status effects on gene expression were less pronounced following GC treatment than under control conditions. In contrast, social status effects on chromatin accessibility were stable across conditions, resulting in an attenuated relationship between social status, chromatin accessibility, and gene expression after GC exposure. Regions that were more accessible in high-status animals and regions that become more accessible following GC treatment were enriched for a highly concordant set of transcription factor binding motifs, including motifs for the GC receptor cofactor AP-1. Together, our findings support the hypothesis that social status alters the dynamics of GC-mediated gene regulation and identify chromatin accessibility as a mechanism involved in social stress-driven GC resistance. More broadly, they emphasize the context-dependent nature of social status effects on gene regulation and implicate epigenetic remodeling of chromatin accessibility as a contributing factor.
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57
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Rice MA, Restrepo LF, Ophir AG. When to Cheat: Modeling Dynamics of Paternity and Promiscuity in Socially Monogamous Prairie Voles ( Microtus ochrogaster). Front Ecol Evol 2018; 6. [PMID: 34222266 PMCID: PMC8248529 DOI: 10.3389/fevo.2018.00141] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/03/2022] Open
Abstract
In many socially monogamous species, individuals form long-term pair bonds and males mate guard females. Such behavior is thought to help secure intra-pair fertilizations, the result of intra-pair copulations (IPCs), and ensure paternity. However, socially monogamous males are also often opportunistic and seek additional mating opportunities with other females, leaving their partner unguarded. The success associated with a male’s decision to seek more mates over guarding his partner might be impacted by the activity of other males, specifically the proportion of other males leaving their territories to seek extra-pair copulations (EPCs). The amount of EPC-seeking males can impact the likelihood of a given male encountering an unguarded paired female, but also of being cuckolded (losing IPCs). It remains unclear under which conditions it is optimal to stay and guard or seek EPCs. Using field data from socially monogamous prairie voles (Microtus ochrogaster) to generate parameters, we used optimal performance modeling (Monte Carlo simulations) to ask when is it most reproductively advantageous for a bonded male to seek EPCs, despite the risk of losing IPCs. We defined three types of males: exclusive mating bonded males (true residents), non-exclusive mating bonded residents (roving residents), and unpaired males (wanderers). We first modeled the success of an individual male living in a context that incorporated only true and roving residents. We next added wandering males to this model. Finally, we considered the effects of including wandering males and unpaired females in our model. For all contexts, we found that as EPC-seeking in the population increases, the potential reproductive benefit for seeking EPCs increasingly outpaces the rate of cuckolding. In other words, we observe a shift in optimal strategy from true residents to rovers among paired males. Our models also demonstrate that reproductive fitness is likely to remain constant, despite the shift toward obtaining success via EPCs over IPCs. Our results show the dynamic nature of reproductive decision-making, and demonstrate that alternative reproductive decisions yield subtle but important differences despite appearing as balanced strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marissa A Rice
- Department of Psychology, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, United States
| | - Luis F Restrepo
- Department of Psychology, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, United States
| | - Alexander G Ophir
- Department of Psychology, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, United States
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58
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Bichet C, Lepetit D, Cohas A. Extrinsic and intrinsic constraints interact to drive extra-pair paternities in the Alpine marmot. J Evol Biol 2018; 31:1794-1802. [PMID: 30216586 DOI: 10.1111/jeb.13374] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/23/2018] [Revised: 08/20/2018] [Accepted: 09/09/2018] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
To reproduce, animals have to form pairs and large variations in the degree of mate switching are observed. Extrinsic and intrinsic factors can constrain individual's mate switching. Among intrinsic factors, genes involved in pair-bonding, such as Avpr-1a, receive increasing attention. The length of microsatellites present in the regulatory region of Avpr-1a determines the neural densities and distributions of the vasopressin receptors known to impact pair-bonding behaviours. For the first time, we investigated whether and how the genetic makeup at Avpr-1a, an intrinsic factor, and the social context, an extrinsic factor, experienced by wild Alpine marmot (Marmota marmota) females affect the proportion of extra-pair young. This proportion was positively correlated with the length of their Avpr-1a regulatory region but only when the social constraints were relaxed, that is when mature male subordinates were present. When ignoring the interactive effect between the length of their Avpr-1a regulatory region and the social constraints, the genetic makeup at Avpr-1a was not associated with the proportion of extra-pair young. Under natural conditions, the genetic regulation of pair-bonding could be hidden by extrinsic factors constraining mate choice.
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Affiliation(s)
- Coraline Bichet
- UMR-CNRS 5558, Laboratoire Biométrie et Biologie Évolutive, Université Claude Bernard Lyon 1, Villeurbanne, France.,Institut für Vogelforschung, 'Vogelwarte Helgoland' (Institute of Avian Research), Wilhelmshaven, Germany
| | - David Lepetit
- UMR-CNRS 5558, Laboratoire Biométrie et Biologie Évolutive, Université Claude Bernard Lyon 1, Villeurbanne, France
| | - Aurélie Cohas
- UMR-CNRS 5558, Laboratoire Biométrie et Biologie Évolutive, Université Claude Bernard Lyon 1, Villeurbanne, France
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59
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Sadino JM, Donaldson ZR. Prairie Voles as a Model for Understanding the Genetic and Epigenetic Regulation of Attachment Behaviors. ACS Chem Neurosci 2018. [PMID: 29513516 DOI: 10.1021/acschemneuro.7b00475] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Over a lifetime, humans build relationships with family, friends, and partners that are critically important for our mental and physical health. Unlike commonly used laboratory mice and rats, Microtine rodents provide a unique model to study the neurobiology underlying pair bonding and the selective attachments that form between adults. Comparisons between monogamous prairie voles and the closely related but nonmonogamous meadow and montane voles have revealed that brain-region-specific neuropeptide receptor patterning modulates social behavior between and within species. In particular, diversity in vasopressin 1a receptor (V1aR) distribution has been linked to individual and species differences in monogamy-related behaviors such as partner preference, mate guarding, and space use. Given the importance of differential receptor expression for regulating social behavior, a critical question has emerged: What are the genetic and epigenetic mechanisms that underlie brain-region-specific receptor patterns? This review will summarize what is known about how the vasopressin (AVP)-V1aR axis regulates social behaviors via signaling in discrete brain regions. From this work, we propose that brain-region-specific regulatory mechanisms facilitate robust evolvability of V1aR expression to generate diverse sociobehavioral traits. Translationally, we provide a perspective on how these studies have contributed to our understanding of human social behaviors and how brain-region-specific regulatory mechanisms might be harnessed for targeted therapies to treat social deficits in psychiatric disorders such as depression, complicated grief, and autism spectrum disorder.
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Affiliation(s)
- Julie M. Sadino
- Department of Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, Colorado 80309, United States
| | - Zoe R. Donaldson
- Department of Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, Colorado 80309, United States
- Department of Psychology & Neuroscience, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, Colorado 80309, United States
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60
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Prounis GS, Thomas K, Ophir AG. Developmental trajectories and influences of environmental complexity on oxytocin receptor and vasopressin 1A receptor expression in male and female prairie voles. J Comp Neurol 2018; 526:1820-1842. [PMID: 29665010 PMCID: PMC5990463 DOI: 10.1002/cne.24450] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/15/2017] [Revised: 03/19/2018] [Accepted: 03/26/2018] [Indexed: 12/25/2022]
Abstract
Nonapeptide receptors, like oxytocin receptor (OTR) and vasopressin 1a receptor (V1aR), modulate a variety of functions across taxa, and mediate phenotypic variation within and between species. Despite the popularity of studying nonapeptides in adults, developmental perspectives on properties of OTR and V1aR expression are lacking. Study of prairie voles (Microtus ochrogaster) has facilitated an understanding of mechanisms of social behavior and provides great potential to inform how early life experiences alter phenotype. We provide the first comprehensive profiling of OTR and V1aR in male and female prairie voles across postnatal development and into adulthood. Differences in receptor densities across the forebrain were region- and sex-specific. Postnatal changes in receptor expression fell into four themes: (a) constant over time, (b) increasing with age, (c) decreasing with age, or (d) peaking during late pre-weaning (postnatal day 15-21). We also examined the influence of post-weaning social and spatial enrichment (i.e., environmental complexity) on OTR and V1aR. Environmental complexity appeared to promote expression of OTR in males and females, and reduced expression of V1aR across several brain regions in males. Our results show that nonapeptide receptor profiles are plastic over development and suggest that different patterns of expression might represent functional differences in sensitivity to nonapeptide activation over a period when social environments are dynamic. Our results on environmental complexity suggest that nonapeptide sensitivity responds flexibly to different environmental contexts during development. Understanding the developmental trajectories of nonapeptide receptors provides a better understanding of the dynamic nature of social behavior and the underlying mechanisms.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Kyle Thomas
- Department of Zoology, Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, OK
74078
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61
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DeAngelis R, Dodd L, Snyder A, Rhodes JS. Dynamic regulation of brain aromatase and isotocin receptor gene expression depends on parenting status. Horm Behav 2018; 103:62-70. [PMID: 29928890 DOI: 10.1016/j.yhbeh.2018.06.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/10/2018] [Revised: 06/11/2018] [Accepted: 06/15/2018] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
Fathering behavior is critical for offspring survival in many species across diverse taxa, but our understanding of the neuroendocrine mechanisms regulating paternal care is limited in part because of the few primarily paternal species among the common animal models. However, many teleosts display primarily paternal care, and among the teleosts, anemonefish species are particularly well suited for isolating molecular mechanisms of fathering as they perform parental care in isolation of many other typically competing behaviors such as territorial defense and nest building. The goal of this study was to determine the extent to which whole brain gene expression levels of isotocin receptors, arginine vasotocin receptors, and aromatase as well as circulating levels of the bioactive sex steroid hormones estradiol (E2) and 11-ketotestosterone (11KT) vary in association with parenting behavior in Amphiprion ocellaris. Brain aromatase and IT receptor gene expression were higher in both males and females that were parenting versus not. IT receptor expression was overall higher in males than females, which we interpret is a reflection of the greater parental effort that males display. Aromatase was overall higher in females than males, which we conclude is related to the higher circulating E2, which crosses into the brain and increases aromatase transcription. Results suggest both aromatase and IT receptors are dynamically upregulated in the brains of A. ocellaris males and females to support high levels of parental effort.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ross DeAngelis
- Program for Ecology, Evolution and Conservation Biology, University of Illinois at Urbana, Champaign, 405 N. Mathews Ave, Urbana, IL 61801, USA; Beckman Institute for Advanced Science and Technology, University of Illinois at Urbana, Champaign, 405 N. Mathews Ave, Urbana, IL 61801, USA.
| | - Logan Dodd
- Beckman Institute for Advanced Science and Technology, University of Illinois at Urbana, Champaign, 405 N. Mathews Ave, Urbana, IL 61801, USA
| | - Amanda Snyder
- Beckman Institute for Advanced Science and Technology, University of Illinois at Urbana, Champaign, 405 N. Mathews Ave, Urbana, IL 61801, USA
| | - Justin S Rhodes
- Program for Ecology, Evolution and Conservation Biology, University of Illinois at Urbana, Champaign, 405 N. Mathews Ave, Urbana, IL 61801, USA; Beckman Institute for Advanced Science and Technology, University of Illinois at Urbana, Champaign, 405 N. Mathews Ave, Urbana, IL 61801, USA
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62
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Al-Naimi OAS, Delvalle JR, Carryl SS, Rodriguez NA, Aliou F, Cambi M, Bamshad M. Socio-Ecological Disruptions at Critical Periods During Development Alter Stress Responses and Hippocampal Dendritic Morphology of Prairie Voles: Implications for Social Monogamy. Front Ecol Evol 2018. [DOI: 10.3389/fevo.2018.00084] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
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63
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Gomes BV, Guimarães DM, Szczupak D, Neves K. Female dispersion and sex ratios interact in the evolution of mating behavior: a computational model. Sci Rep 2018; 8:2467. [PMID: 29410464 PMCID: PMC5802766 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-018-20790-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/24/2017] [Accepted: 01/24/2018] [Indexed: 12/27/2022] Open
Abstract
The evolution of mating strategies is not well understood. Several hypotheses have been proposed to explain the variation in mating strategies, with varying levels of support. Specifically, female dispersion, adult sex ratio and mate guarding have been proposed as drivers of the evolution of monogamous strategies. In this study, we used an agent-based model (ABM) to examine how different mating behaviors evolve in a population under different conditions related to these putative drivers, looking to understand the interaction between them. We found an interaction among different factors in the evolution of social monogamy, and their impact is in this order: adult sex ratio (ASR), female dispersion and extra-pair copulation. Thus, when the adult sex ratio is male-biased, monogamous strategies are strongly favored. However, this is only the case if mate guarding is fully efficient, i.e., if there is no extra-pair copulation. On the other hand, in scenarios where the population is female-biased, or mate guarding is not efficient, we find that polygamous strategies are favored but proportionally to the dispersion of females. These results confirm previous findings regarding mate guarding and sex ratios, while also showing how female dispersion enters the dynamics.
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Affiliation(s)
- B V Gomes
- Morphological Sciences Graduate Program, Institute of Biomedical Sciences, Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - D M Guimarães
- Morphological Sciences Graduate Program, Institute of Biomedical Sciences, Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
| | - D Szczupak
- Morphological Sciences Graduate Program, Institute of Biomedical Sciences, Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - K Neves
- Morphological Sciences Graduate Program, Institute of Biomedical Sciences, Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
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64
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Vogel AR, Patisaul HB, Arambula SE, Tiezzi F, McGraw LA. Individual Variation in Social Behaviours of Male Lab-reared Prairie voles (Microtus ochrogaster) is Non-heritable and Weakly Associated with V1aR Density. Sci Rep 2018; 8:1396. [PMID: 29362383 PMCID: PMC5780391 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-018-19737-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/18/2017] [Accepted: 12/27/2017] [Indexed: 01/08/2023] Open
Abstract
The genetic and environmental factors that contribute to pair bonding behaviour remain poorly understood. Prairie voles (Microtus ochrogaster) often, but not always, form stable pair bonds and present an ideal model species for investigating the genetic and environmental factors that influence monogamy. Here, we assessed variation in partner preference, a measure of pair bonding, and related social behaviours in a population of laboratory-reared prairie voles under controlled environmental conditions. We evaluated to what extent variation in these behaviours correlate with vasopressin 1a receptor (V1aR) expression in the ventral pallidum (VP) and retrosplenial cortex (RSC), and estimated the heritability of these behaviours and V1aR expression. We found substantial variation in partner preference and measures of aggression, paternal care, and anxiety-like behaviours, but no correlation between these traits. We also found variation in V1aR density in the VP and RSC can account for behavioural components of paternal care and aggression, but not in partner preference. Heritability estimates of variation in partner preference were low, yet heritability estimates for V1aR expression were high, indicating that the extensive variation in partner preference observed within this population is due largely to environmental plasticity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrea R Vogel
- Department of Biological Sciences, North Carolina, USA. .,W. M. Keck Center for Behavioral Biology, North Carolina, USA. .,Program in Genetics, North Carolina, USA.
| | - Heather B Patisaul
- Department of Biological Sciences, North Carolina, USA.,W. M. Keck Center for Behavioral Biology, North Carolina, USA
| | - Sheryl E Arambula
- Department of Biological Sciences, North Carolina, USA.,W. M. Keck Center for Behavioral Biology, North Carolina, USA
| | - Francesco Tiezzi
- Program in Genetics, North Carolina, USA.,Department of Animal Science, North Carolina, USA
| | - Lisa A McGraw
- Department of Biological Sciences, North Carolina, USA.,W. M. Keck Center for Behavioral Biology, North Carolina, USA.,Program in Genetics, North Carolina, USA
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65
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Ortiz JJ, Portillo W, Paredes RG, Young LJ, Alcauter S. Resting state brain networks in the prairie vole. Sci Rep 2018; 8:1231. [PMID: 29352154 PMCID: PMC5775431 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-017-17610-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/13/2017] [Accepted: 11/24/2017] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Resting state functional magnetic resonance imaging (rsfMRI) has shown the hierarchical organization of the human brain into large-scale complex networks, referred as resting state networks. This technique has turned into a promising translational research tool after the finding of similar resting state networks in non-human primates, rodents and other animal models of great value for neuroscience. Here, we demonstrate and characterize the presence of resting states networks in Microtus ochrogaster, the prairie vole, an extraordinary animal model to study complex human-like social behavior, with potential implications for the research of normal social development, addiction and neuropsychiatric disorders. Independent component analysis of rsfMRI data from isoflurane-anestethized prairie voles resulted in cortical and subcortical networks, including primary motor and sensory networks, but also included putative salience and default mode networks. We further discuss how future research could help to close the gap between the properties of the large scale functional organization and the underlying neurobiology of several aspects of social cognition. These results contribute to the evidence of preserved resting state brain networks across species and provide the foundations to explore the use of rsfMRI in the prairie vole for basic and translational research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Juan J Ortiz
- Instituto de Neurobiología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México. Boulevard Juriquilla 3001, Queretaro, 76230, Mexico
| | - Wendy Portillo
- Instituto de Neurobiología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México. Boulevard Juriquilla 3001, Queretaro, 76230, Mexico
| | - Raul G Paredes
- Instituto de Neurobiología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México. Boulevard Juriquilla 3001, Queretaro, 76230, Mexico
| | - Larry J Young
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Silvio O. Conte Center for Oxytocin and Social Cognition, Center for Translational Social Neuroscience, Yerkes National Primate Research Center, Emory University, 954 Gatewood Rd., Atlanta, GA, 30322, USA
| | - Sarael Alcauter
- Instituto de Neurobiología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México. Boulevard Juriquilla 3001, Queretaro, 76230, Mexico.
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66
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Willett JA, Johnson AG, Vogel AR, Patisaul HB, McGraw LA, Meitzen J. Nucleus accumbens core medium spiny neuron electrophysiological properties and partner preference behavior in the adult male prairie vole, Microtus ochrogaster. J Neurophysiol 2018; 119:1576-1588. [PMID: 29361665 DOI: 10.1152/jn.00737.2017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/27/2022] Open
Abstract
Medium spiny neurons (MSNs) in the nucleus accumbens have long been implicated in the neurobiological mechanisms that underlie numerous social and motivated behaviors as studied in rodents such as rats. Recently, the prairie vole has emerged as an important model animal for studying social behaviors, particularly regarding monogamy because of its ability to form pair bonds. However, to our knowledge, no study has assessed intrinsic vole MSN electrophysiological properties or tested how these properties vary with the strength of the pair bond between partnered voles. Here we performed whole cell patch-clamp recordings of MSNs in acute brain slices of the nucleus accumbens core (NAc) of adult male voles exhibiting strong and weak preferences for their respective partnered females. We first document vole MSN electrophysiological properties and provide comparison to rat MSNs. Vole MSNs demonstrated many canonical electrophysiological attributes shared across species but exhibited notable differences in excitability compared with rat MSNs. Second, we assessed male vole partner preference behavior and tested whether MSN electrophysiological properties varied with partner preference strength. Male vole partner preference showed extensive variability. We found that decreases in miniature excitatory postsynaptic current amplitude and the slope of the evoked action potential firing rate to depolarizing current injection weakly associated with increased preference for the partnered female. This suggests that excitatory synaptic strength and neuronal excitability may be decreased in MSNs in males exhibiting stronger preference for a partnered female. Overall, these data provide extensive documentation of MSN electrophysiological characteristics and their relationship to social behavior in the prairie vole. NEW & NOTEWORTHY This research represents the first assessment of prairie vole nucleus accumbens core medium spiny neuron intrinsic electrophysiological properties and probes the relationship between cellular excitability and social behavior.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jaime A Willett
- Department of Biological Sciences, North Carolina State University , Raleigh, North Carolina.,W. M. Keck Center for Behavioral Biology, North Carolina State University , Raleigh, North Carolina.,Graduate Program in Physiology, North Carolina State University , Raleigh, North Carolina
| | - Ashlyn G Johnson
- Department of Biological Sciences, North Carolina State University , Raleigh, North Carolina.,W. M. Keck Center for Behavioral Biology, North Carolina State University , Raleigh, North Carolina
| | - Andrea R Vogel
- Department of Biological Sciences, North Carolina State University , Raleigh, North Carolina.,W. M. Keck Center for Behavioral Biology, North Carolina State University , Raleigh, North Carolina.,Graduate Program in Genetics, North Carolina State University , Raleigh, North Carolina
| | - Heather B Patisaul
- Department of Biological Sciences, North Carolina State University , Raleigh, North Carolina.,W. M. Keck Center for Behavioral Biology, North Carolina State University , Raleigh, North Carolina.,Center for Human Health and the Environment, North Carolina State University , Raleigh, North Carolina
| | - Lisa A McGraw
- Department of Biological Sciences, North Carolina State University , Raleigh, North Carolina.,W. M. Keck Center for Behavioral Biology, North Carolina State University , Raleigh, North Carolina.,Graduate Program in Genetics, North Carolina State University , Raleigh, North Carolina
| | - John Meitzen
- Department of Biological Sciences, North Carolina State University , Raleigh, North Carolina.,W. M. Keck Center for Behavioral Biology, North Carolina State University , Raleigh, North Carolina.,Center for Human Health and the Environment, North Carolina State University , Raleigh, North Carolina.,Comparative Medicine Institute, North Carolina State University , Raleigh, North Carolina
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67
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Berrio A, Guerrero RF, Aglyamova GV, Okhovat M, Matz MV, Phelps SM. Complex selection on a regulator of social cognition: Evidence of balancing selection, regulatory interactions and population differentiation in the prairie vole
Avpr1a
locus. Mol Ecol 2017; 27:419-431. [DOI: 10.1111/mec.14455] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/03/2017] [Revised: 10/13/2017] [Accepted: 11/02/2017] [Indexed: 01/14/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Alejandro Berrio
- Department of Integrative Biology University of Texas at Austin Austin TX USA
- Department of Biology Duke University Durham NC USA
| | | | - Galina V. Aglyamova
- Department of Integrative Biology University of Texas at Austin Austin TX USA
| | - Mariam Okhovat
- Department of Integrative Biology University of Texas at Austin Austin TX USA
| | - Mikhail V. Matz
- Department of Integrative Biology University of Texas at Austin Austin TX USA
| | - Steven M. Phelps
- Department of Integrative Biology University of Texas at Austin Austin TX USA
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68
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Stevenson TJ, Alward BA, Ebling FJP, Fernald RD, Kelly A, Ophir AG. The Value of Comparative Animal Research: Krogh's Principle Facilitates Scientific Discoveries. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2017; 5:118-125. [PMID: 32743064 DOI: 10.1177/2372732217745097] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
Biomedical research is dominated by relatively few nonhuman animals to investigate healthy and disease conditions. Research has overrelied on these models due to their well-described genomes, the capability to control specific genes, and the high rate of reproduction. However, recent advances in large-scale molecular sequencing experiments have revealed, in some cases, the limited similarities in experimental outcomes observed in common rodents (i.e., mice) compared with humans. The value of more varied comparative animal models includes examples such as long-term body weight regulation in seasonally breeding hamsters as a means to help understand the obesity epidemic, vocal learning in songbirds to illuminate language acquisition and maintenance, and reproduction in cichlid fish to discover novel genes conserved in humans. Studying brain genes in prairie voles and cichlids advanced knowledge about social behavior. Taken together, experiments on diverse animal species highlight nontraditional systems for advancing our understanding of human health and well-being.
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69
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Watts PC, Kallio ER, Koskela E, Lonn E, Mappes T, Mokkonen M. Stabilizing selection on microsatellite allele length at arginine vasopressin 1a receptor and oxytocin receptor loci. Proc Biol Sci 2017; 284:rspb.2017.1896. [PMID: 29237850 PMCID: PMC5745408 DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2017.1896] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/22/2017] [Accepted: 11/13/2017] [Indexed: 12/27/2022] Open
Abstract
The loci arginine vasopressin receptor 1a (avpr1a) and oxytocin receptor (oxtr) have evolutionarily conserved roles in vertebrate social and sexual behaviour. Allelic variation at a microsatellite locus in the 5′ regulatory region of these genes is associated with fitness in the bank vole Myodes glareolus. Given the low frequency of long and short alleles at these microsatellite loci in wild bank voles, we used breeding trials to determine whether selection acts against long and short alleles. Female bank voles with intermediate length avpr1a alleles had the highest probability of breeding, while male voles whose avpr1a alleles were very different in length had reduced probability of breeding. Moreover, there was a significant interaction between male and female oxtr genotypes, where potential breeding pairs with dissimilar length alleles had reduced probability of breeding. These data show how genetic variation at microsatellite loci associated with avpr1a and oxtr is associated with fitness, and highlight complex patterns of selection at these loci. More widely, these data show how stabilizing selection might act on allele length frequency distributions at gene-associated microsatellite loci.
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Affiliation(s)
- Phillip C Watts
- Department of Ecology and Genetics, University of Oulu, Oulu 90014, Finland .,Department of Biological and Environmental Science, University of Jyväskylä, PO Box 35, Jyväskylä 40014, Finland
| | - Eva R Kallio
- Department of Ecology and Genetics, University of Oulu, Oulu 90014, Finland.,Department of Biological and Environmental Science, University of Jyväskylä, PO Box 35, Jyväskylä 40014, Finland
| | - Esa Koskela
- Department of Biological and Environmental Science, University of Jyväskylä, PO Box 35, Jyväskylä 40014, Finland
| | - Eija Lonn
- Department of Biological and Environmental Science, University of Jyväskylä, PO Box 35, Jyväskylä 40014, Finland
| | - Tapio Mappes
- Department of Biological and Environmental Science, University of Jyväskylä, PO Box 35, Jyväskylä 40014, Finland
| | - Mikael Mokkonen
- Department of Biological and Environmental Science, University of Jyväskylä, PO Box 35, Jyväskylä 40014, Finland.,Department of Biological Sciences, Simon Fraser University, 8888 University Drive, Burnaby, British Columbia, Canada V5A1S6
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70
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Johnson ZV, Young LJ. Oxytocin and vasopressin neural networks: Implications for social behavioral diversity and translational neuroscience. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2017; 76:87-98. [PMID: 28434591 DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2017.01.034] [Citation(s) in RCA: 179] [Impact Index Per Article: 25.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/04/2016] [Revised: 12/15/2016] [Accepted: 01/25/2017] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Oxytocin- and vasopressin-related systems are present in invertebrate and vertebrate bilaterian animals, including humans, and exhibit conserved neuroanatomical and functional properties. In vertebrates, these systems innervate conserved neural networks that regulate social learning and behavior, including conspecific recognition, social attachment, and parental behavior. Individual and species-level variation in central organization of oxytocin and vasopressin systems has been linked to individual and species variation in social learning and behavior. In humans, genetic polymorphisms in the genes encoding oxytocin and vasopressin peptides and/or their respective target receptors have been associated with individual variation in social recognition, social attachment phenotypes, parental behavior, and psychiatric phenotypes such as autism. Here we describe both conserved and variable features of central oxytocin and vasopressin systems in the context of social behavioral diversity, with a particular focus on neural networks that modulate social learning, behavior, and salience of sociosensory stimuli during species-typical social contexts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zachary V Johnson
- Silvio O. Conte Center for Oxytocin and Social Cognition, Center for Translational Social Neuroscience, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Yerkes National Primate Research Center, Emory University, Atlanta, GA 30329, USA; School of Biological Sciences, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA 30332, USA.
| | - Larry J Young
- Silvio O. Conte Center for Oxytocin and Social Cognition, Center for Translational Social Neuroscience, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Yerkes National Primate Research Center, Emory University, Atlanta, GA 30329, USA.
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71
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72
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Epigenetic mechanisms modulate differences in Drosophila foraging behavior. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2017; 114:12518-12523. [PMID: 29078350 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1710770114] [Citation(s) in RCA: 54] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Little is known about how genetic variation and epigenetic marks interact to shape differences in behavior. The foraging (for) gene regulates behavioral differences between the rover and sitter Drosophila melanogaster strains, but the molecular mechanisms through which it does so have remained elusive. We show that the epigenetic regulator G9a interacts with for to regulate strain-specific adult foraging behavior through allele-specific histone methylation of a for promoter (pr4). Rovers have higher pr4 H3K9me dimethylation, lower pr4 RNA expression, and higher foraging scores than sitters. The rover-sitter differences disappear in the presence of G9a null mutant alleles, showing that G9a is necessary for these differences. Furthermore, rover foraging scores can be phenocopied by transgenically reducing pr4 expression in sitters. This compelling evidence shows that genetic variation can interact with an epigenetic modifier to produce differences in gene expression, establishing a behavioral polymorphism in Drosophila.
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73
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Phelps SM, Okhovat M, Berrio A. Individual Differences in Social Behavior and Cortical Vasopressin Receptor: Genetics, Epigenetics, and Evolution. Front Neurosci 2017; 11:537. [PMID: 29085274 PMCID: PMC5649215 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2017.00537] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/05/2017] [Accepted: 09/14/2017] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Social behavior is among the most complex and variable of traits. Despite its diversity, we know little about how genetic and developmental factors interact to shape natural variation in social behavior. This review surveys recent work on individual differences in the expression of the vasopressin 1a receptor (V1aR), a major regulator of social behavior, in the neocortex of the socially monogamous prairie vole. V1aR exhibits profound variation in the retrosplenial cortex (RSC), a region critical to spatial and contextual memory. RSC-V1aR abundance is associated with patterns of male space-use and sexual fidelity in the field: males with high RSC-V1aR show high spatial and sexual fidelity to partners, while low RSC-V1aR males are significantly more likely to mate outside the pair-bond. Individual differences in RSC-V1aR are predicted by a set of linked single nucleotide polymorphisms within the avpr1a locus. These alternative alleles have been actively maintained by selection, suggesting that the brain differences represent a balanced polymorphism. Lastly, the alleles occur within regulatory sequences, and result in differential sensitivity to environmental perturbation. Together the data provide insight into how genetic, epigenetic and evolutionary forces interact to shape the social brain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Steven M Phelps
- Department of Integrative Biology, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, United States
| | - Mariam Okhovat
- Department of Integrative Biology, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, United States.,Department of Medicine, Oregon Health and Science University, Portland, OR, United States
| | - Alejandro Berrio
- Department of Integrative Biology, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, United States.,Department of Biology, Duke University, Durham, NC, United States
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74
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Rice MA, Hobbs LE, Wallace KJ, Ophir AG. Cryptic sexual dimorphism in spatial memory and hippocampal oxytocin receptors in prairie voles (Microtus ochrogaster). Horm Behav 2017; 95:94-102. [PMID: 28818500 PMCID: PMC5623076 DOI: 10.1016/j.yhbeh.2017.08.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/19/2017] [Revised: 08/07/2017] [Accepted: 08/12/2017] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Sex differences are well documented and are conventionally associated with intense sex-specific selection. For example, spatial memory is frequently better in males, presumably due to males' tendency to navigate large spaces to find mates. Alternatively, monogamy (in which sex-specific selection is relatively relaxed) should diminish or eliminate differences in spatial ability and the mechanisms associated with this behavior. Nevertheless, phenotypic differences between monogamous males and females persist, sometimes cryptically. We hypothesize that sex-specific cognitive demands are present in monogamous species that will influence neural and behavioral phenotypes. The effects of these demands should be observable in spatial learning performance and neural structures associated with spatial learning and memory. We analyzed spatial memory performance, hippocampal volume and cell density, and hippocampal oxytocin receptor (OTR) expression in the socially monogamous prairie vole. Compared to females, males performed better in a spatial memory and spatial learning test. Although we found no sex difference in hippocampal volume or cell density, male OTR density was significantly lower than females, suggesting that performance may be regulated by sub-cellular mechanisms within the hippocampus that are less obvious than classic neuroanatomical features. Our results suggest an expanded role for oxytocin beyond facilitating social interactions, which may function in part to integrate social and spatial information.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marissa A Rice
- Department of Psychology, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853, USA; Department of Integrative Biology, Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, OK 74078, USA
| | - Lauren E Hobbs
- Department of Integrative Biology, Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, OK 74078, USA
| | - Kelly J Wallace
- Department of Psychology, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853, USA
| | - Alexander G Ophir
- Department of Psychology, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853, USA; Department of Integrative Biology, Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, OK 74078, USA.
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75
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Dantzer B, Rubenstein DR. Introduction to Symposium: The Developmental and Proximate Mechanisms Causing Individual Variation in Cooperative Behavior. Integr Comp Biol 2017; 57:560-565. [PMID: 28957528 DOI: 10.1093/icb/icx093] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Nearly all animals interact with members of their own species at some point during their lives. These behavioral interactions range from courtship, mating, and parental care to the complex cooperative behavior among related or unrelated individuals in group-living species. A number of theoretical models have attempted to explain how cooperation can evolve through natural selection. Although tremendously influential in animal behavior research, these traditional models have largely ignored individual variation in cooperative behavior and its underlying developmental and proximate mechanisms. However, a set of emerging models suggest that the evolution of cooperation can be heavily influenced by the degree of individual variation in cooperative behavior, as well as the complexity of the underlying mechanisms. Yet, while theoreticians argue the importance of studying individual variation in cooperation and the mechanisms underlying it, empiricists have not focused upon these aspects. The main objectives of our symposium at the 2017 meeting of the Society for Integrative and Comparative Biology is to establish new research avenues to study variation in cooperative behavior using both proximate and ultimate explanations and to produce a road map to study the developmental and proximate mechanisms in generating individual variation in cooperative behavior. This symposium brought together empiricists and theoreticians investigating cooperative behavior in diverse taxa and across multiple levels of analysis. Here we briefly describe the rationale for this symposium and why we thought it was needed as well as provide a brief overview of the contributions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ben Dantzer
- Department of Psychology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA.,Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA
| | - Dustin R Rubenstein
- Department of Ecology, Evolution and Environmental Biology, Columbia University, New York, NY 10027, USA.,Center for Integrative Animal Behavior, Columbia University, New York, NY 10027, USA
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76
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Keane B, Castelli FR, Davis H, Crist TO, Solomon NG. Effects of
avpr1a
length polymorphism on male social behavior and reproduction in semi‐natural populations of prairie voles (
Microtus ochrogaster
). Ethology 2017. [DOI: 10.1111/eth.12641] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/24/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Brian Keane
- Department of Biology Center for Animal Behavior Miami University‐Hamilton Hamilton OH USA
| | - Frank R. Castelli
- Department of Biology Center for Animal Behavior Miami University Oxford OH USA
| | - Haley Davis
- Department of Biology Center for Animal Behavior Miami University Oxford OH USA
| | - Thomas O. Crist
- Department of Biology Center for Animal Behavior Miami University Oxford OH USA
| | - Nancy G. Solomon
- Department of Biology Center for Animal Behavior Miami University Oxford OH USA
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77
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Baran NM. Sensitive Periods, Vasotocin-Family Peptides, and the Evolution and Development of Social Behavior. Front Endocrinol (Lausanne) 2017; 8:189. [PMID: 28824549 PMCID: PMC5539493 DOI: 10.3389/fendo.2017.00189] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/16/2017] [Accepted: 07/19/2017] [Indexed: 01/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Nonapeptides, by modulating the activity of neural circuits in specific social contexts, provide an important mechanism underlying the evolution of diverse behavioral phenotypes across vertebrate taxa. Vasotocin-family nonapeptides, in particular, have been found to be involved in behavioral plasticity and diversity in social behavior, including seasonal variation, sexual dimorphism, and species differences. Although nonapeptides have been the focus of a great deal of research over the last several decades, the vast majority of this work has focused on adults. However, behavioral diversity may also be explained by the ways in which these peptides shape neural circuits and influence social processes during development. In this review, I synthesize comparative work on vasotocin-family peptides during development and classic work on early forms of social learning in developmental psychobiology. I also summarize recent work demonstrating that early life manipulations of the nonapeptide system alter attachment, affiliation, and vocal learning in zebra finches. I thus hypothesize that vasotocin-family peptides are involved in the evolution of social behaviors through their influence on learning during sensitive periods in social development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicole M. Baran
- Department of Psychology, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, United States
- School of Biological Sciences, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA, United States
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78
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Ophir AG. Navigating Monogamy: Nonapeptide Sensitivity in a Memory Neural Circuit May Shape Social Behavior and Mating Decisions. Front Neurosci 2017; 11:397. [PMID: 28744194 PMCID: PMC5504236 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2017.00397] [Citation(s) in RCA: 45] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/13/2017] [Accepted: 06/23/2017] [Indexed: 01/06/2023] Open
Abstract
The role of memory in mating systems is often neglected despite the fact that most mating systems are defined in part by how animals use space. Monogamy, for example, is usually characterized by affiliative (e.g., pairbonding) and defensive (e.g., mate guarding) behaviors, but a high degree of spatial overlap in home range use is the easiest defining feature of monogamous animals in the wild. The nonapeptides vasopressin and oxytocin have been the focus of much attention for their importance in modulating social behavior, however this work has largely overshadowed their roles in learning and memory. To date, the understanding of memory systems and mechanisms governing social behavior have progressed relatively independently. Bridging these two areas will provide a deeper appreciation for understanding behavior, and in particular the mechanisms that mediate reproductive decision-making. Here, I argue that the ability to mate effectively as monogamous individuals is linked to the ability to track conspecifics in space. I discuss the connectivity across some well-known social and spatial memory nuclei, and propose that the nonapeptide receptors within these structures form a putative “socio-spatial memory neural circuit.” This purported circuit may function to integrate social and spatial information to shape mating decisions in a context-dependent fashion. The lateral septum and/or the nucleus accumbens, and neuromodulation therein, may act as an intermediary to relate socio-spatial information with social behavior. Identifying mechanisms responsible for relating information about the social world with mechanisms mediating mating tactics is crucial to fully appreciate the suite of factors driving reproductive decisions and social decision-making.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexander G Ophir
- Department of Psychology, Cornell UniversityIthaca, NY, United States
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79
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Okhovat M, Chen IC, Dehghani Z, Zheng DJ, Ikpatt JE, Momoh H, Phelps SM. Genetic variation in the developmental regulation of cortical avpr1a among prairie voles. GENES BRAIN AND BEHAVIOR 2017; 17:36-48. [PMID: 28589689 DOI: 10.1111/gbb.12396] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/11/2016] [Revised: 04/15/2017] [Accepted: 06/01/2017] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Early experiences can have enduring impacts on brain and behavior, but the strength of these effects can be influenced by genetic variation. In principle, polymorphic CpGs (polyCpGs) may contribute to gene-by-environment interactions (G × E) by altering DNA methylation. In this study, we investigate the influence of polyCpGs on the development of vasopressin receptor 1a abundance in the retrosplenial cortex (RSC-V1aR) of prairie voles (Microtus ochrogaster). Two alternative alleles ('HI'/'LO') predict RSC avpr1a expression, V1aR abundance and sexual fidelity in adulthood; these alleles differ in the frequency of CpG sites and in methylation at a putative intron enhancer. We hypothesized that the elevated CpG abundance in the LO allele would make homozygous LO/LO voles more sensitive to developmental perturbations. We found that genotype differences in RSC-V1aR abundance emerged early in ontogeny and were accompanied by differences in methylation of the putative enhancer. As predicted, postnatal treatment with an oxytocin receptor antagonist (OTA) reduced RSC-V1aR abundance in LO/LO adults but not their HI/HI siblings. Similarly, methylation inhibition by zebularine increased RSC-V1aR in LO/LO adults, but not in HI/HI siblings. These data show a gene-by-environment interaction in RSC-V1aR. Surprisingly, however, neither OTA nor zebularine altered adult methylation of the intronic enhancer, suggesting that differences in sensitivity could not be explained by CpG density at the enhancer alone. Methylated DNA immunoprecipiation-sequencing showed additional differentially methylated regions between HI/HI and LO/LO voles. Future research should examine the role of these regions and other regulatory elements in the ontogeny of RSC-V1aR and its developmentally induced changes.
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Affiliation(s)
- M Okhovat
- Section of Integrative Biology, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, USA
| | - I C Chen
- Section of Integrative Biology, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, USA
| | - Z Dehghani
- Section of Integrative Biology, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, USA
| | - D J Zheng
- Section of Integrative Biology, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, USA
| | - J E Ikpatt
- Section of Integrative Biology, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, USA
| | - H Momoh
- Section of Integrative Biology, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, USA
| | - S M Phelps
- Section of Integrative Biology, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, USA
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80
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Abstract
Many biomedical research studies use captive animals to model human health and disease. However, a surprising number of studies show that the biological systems of animals living in standard laboratory housing are abnormal. To make animal studies more relevant to human health, research animals should live in the wild or be able to roam free in captive environments that offer a natural range of both positive and negative experiences. Recent technological advances now allow us to study freely roaming animals and we should make use of them.
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Affiliation(s)
- Garet P Lahvis
- Department of Behavioral Neuroscience, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, United States
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81
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Baran NM, McGrath PT, Streelman JT. Applying gene regulatory network logic to the evolution of social behavior. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2017; 114:5886-5893. [PMID: 28584121 PMCID: PMC5468628 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1610621114] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/12/2023] Open
Abstract
Animal behavior is ultimately the product of gene regulatory networks (GRNs) for brain development and neural networks for brain function. The GRN approach has advanced the fields of genomics and development, and we identify organizational similarities between networks of genes that build the brain and networks of neurons that encode brain function. In this perspective, we engage the analogy between developmental networks and neural networks, exploring the advantages of using GRN logic to study behavior. Applying the GRN approach to the brain and behavior provides a quantitative and manipulative framework for discovery. We illustrate features of this framework using the example of social behavior and the neural circuitry of aggression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicole M Baran
- School of Biological Sciences, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA 30332
| | - Patrick T McGrath
- School of Biological Sciences, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA 30332
- The Petit Institute for Bioengineering and Bioscience, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA 30332
| | - J Todd Streelman
- School of Biological Sciences, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA 30332;
- The Petit Institute for Bioengineering and Bioscience, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA 30332
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82
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Bendesky A, Kwon YM, Lassance JM, Lewarch CL, Yao S, Peterson BK, He MX, Dulac C, Hoekstra HE. The genetic basis of parental care evolution in monogamous mice. Nature 2017; 544:434-439. [PMID: 28424518 PMCID: PMC5600873 DOI: 10.1038/nature22074] [Citation(s) in RCA: 143] [Impact Index Per Article: 20.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/21/2016] [Accepted: 03/16/2017] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
Parental care is essential for the survival of mammals, yet the mechanisms underlying its evolution remain largely unknown. Here we show that two sister species of mice, Peromyscus polionotus and P. maniculatus, have large and heritable differences in parental behaviour. Using quantitative genetics, we identify 12 genomic regions that affect parental care, eight of which have sex-specific effects, suggesting that parental care can evolve independently in males and females. Furthermore, some regions affect parental care broadly, whereas others affect specific behaviours, such as nest building. Of the genes linked to differences in nest-building behaviour, vasopressin is differentially expressed in the hypothalamus of the two species, with increased levels associated with less nest building. Using pharmacology in Peromyscus and chemogenetics in Mus, we show that vasopressin inhibits nest building but not other parental behaviours. Together, our results indicate that variation in an ancient neuropeptide contributes to interspecific differences in parental care.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andres Bendesky
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Harvard University, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02138, USA.,Department of Organismic and Evolutionary Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02138, USA.,Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02138, USA
| | - Young-Mi Kwon
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Harvard University, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02138, USA.,Department of Organismic and Evolutionary Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02138, USA
| | - Jean-Marc Lassance
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Harvard University, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02138, USA.,Department of Organismic and Evolutionary Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02138, USA.,Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02138, USA
| | - Caitlin L Lewarch
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Harvard University, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02138, USA.,Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02138, USA
| | - Shenqin Yao
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Harvard University, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02138, USA.,Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02138, USA
| | - Brant K Peterson
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Harvard University, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02138, USA.,Department of Organismic and Evolutionary Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02138, USA
| | - Meng Xiao He
- Graduate Program in Biophysics, Harvard University, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02138, USA
| | - Catherine Dulac
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Harvard University, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02138, USA.,Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02138, USA.,Center for Brain Science, Harvard University, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02138, USA
| | - Hopi E Hoekstra
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Harvard University, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02138, USA.,Department of Organismic and Evolutionary Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02138, USA.,Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02138, USA.,Graduate Program in Biophysics, Harvard University, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02138, USA.,Center for Brain Science, Harvard University, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02138, USA.,Museum of Comparative Zoology, Harvard University, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02138, USA
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83
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Balancing selection maintains polymorphisms at neurogenetic loci in field experiments. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2017; 114:3690-3695. [PMID: 28325880 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1621228114] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Most variation in behavior has a genetic basis, but the processes determining the level of diversity at behavioral loci are largely unknown for natural populations. Expression of arginine vasopressin receptor 1a (Avpr1a) and oxytocin receptor (Oxtr) in specific regions of the brain regulates diverse social and reproductive behaviors in mammals, including humans. That these genes have important fitness consequences and that natural populations contain extensive diversity at these loci implies the action of balancing selection. In Myodes glareolus, Avpr1a and Oxtr each contain a polymorphic microsatellite locus located in their 5' regulatory region (the regulatory region-associated microsatellite, RRAM) that likely regulates gene expression. To test the hypothesis that balancing selection maintains diversity at behavioral loci, we released artificially bred females and males with different RRAM allele lengths into field enclosures that differed in population density. The length of Avpr1a and Oxtr RRAMs was associated with reproductive success, but population density and the sex interacted to determine the optimal genotype. In general, longer Avpr1a RRAMs were more beneficial for males, and shorter RRAMs were more beneficial for females; the opposite was true for Oxtr RRAMs. Moreover, Avpr1a RRAM allele length is correlated with the reproductive success of the sexes during different phases of reproduction; for males, RRAM length correlated with the numbers of newborn offspring, but for females selection was evident on the number of weaned offspring. This report of density-dependence and sexual antagonism acting on loci within the arginine vasopressin-oxytocin pathway explains how genetic diversity at Avpr1a and Oxtr could be maintained in natural populations.
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84
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Okhovat M, Maguire SM, Phelps SM. Methylation of avpr1a in the cortex of wild prairie voles: effects of CpG position and polymorphism. ROYAL SOCIETY OPEN SCIENCE 2017; 4:160646. [PMID: 28280564 PMCID: PMC5319330 DOI: 10.1098/rsos.160646] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/30/2016] [Accepted: 12/19/2016] [Indexed: 06/06/2023]
Abstract
DNA methylation can cause stable changes in neuronal gene expression, but we know little about its role in individual differences in the wild. In this study, we focus on the vasopressin 1a receptor (avpr1a), a gene extensively implicated in vertebrate social behaviour, and explore natural variation in DNA methylation, genetic polymorphism and neuronal gene expression among 30 wild prairie voles (Microtus ochrogaster). Examination of CpG density across 8 kb of the locus revealed two distinct CpG islands overlapping promoter and first exon, characterized by few CpG polymorphisms. We used a targeted bisulfite sequencing approach to measure DNA methylation across approximately 3 kb of avpr1a in the retrosplenial cortex, a brain region implicated in male space use and sexual fidelity. We find dramatic variation in methylation across the avrp1a locus, with pronounced diversity near the exon-intron boundary and in a genetically variable putative enhancer within the intron. Among our wild voles, differences in cortical avpr1a expression correlate with DNA methylation in this putative enhancer, but not with the methylation status of the promoter. We also find an unusually high number of polymorphic CpG sites (polyCpGs) in this focal enhancer. One polyCpG within this enhancer (polyCpG 2170) may drive variation in expression either by disrupting transcription factor binding motifs or by changing local DNA methylation and chromatin silencing. Our results contradict some assumptions made within behavioural epigenetics, but are remarkably concordant with genome-wide studies of gene regulation.
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Affiliation(s)
- M. Okhovat
- Author for correspondence: M. Okhovat e-mail:
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85
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Munshi-South J, Richardson JL. Peromyscus transcriptomics: Understanding adaptation and gene expression plasticity within and between species of deer mice. Semin Cell Dev Biol 2017; 61:131-139. [PMID: 27531052 PMCID: PMC5235989 DOI: 10.1016/j.semcdb.2016.08.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/30/2016] [Revised: 08/09/2016] [Accepted: 08/11/2016] [Indexed: 10/21/2022]
Abstract
Deer mice in the genus Peromyscus occupy nearly every terrestrial habitat in North America, and have a long history as subjects of behavioral, ecological, evolutionary, and physiological study. Recent advances in transcriptomics, the study of the complete set of RNA transcripts produced by certain cell types or under certain conditions, have contributed to the development of Peromyscus as a model system. We review the recent use of transcriptomics to investigate how natural selection and gene expression plasticity contribute to the existence of deer mice in challenging environments such as highlands, deserts, and cities across North America. Transcriptomics also holds great promise for elucidating the genetic basis of mating systems and other behaviors in Peromyscus, but has to date been underutilized for developmental biology and disease studies. Future Peromyscus studies should apply robust comparative frameworks to analyze the transcriptomics of multiple populations of the same species across varying environmental conditions, as well as multiple species that vary in traits of interest.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jason Munshi-South
- Louis Calder Center-Biological Field Station, Fordham University, 31 Whippoorwill Road, Armonk, NY 10504, USA.
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86
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Hu CK, Hoekstra HE. Peromyscus burrowing: A model system for behavioral evolution. Semin Cell Dev Biol 2017; 61:107-114. [DOI: 10.1016/j.semcdb.2016.08.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/11/2016] [Revised: 08/01/2016] [Accepted: 08/01/2016] [Indexed: 01/16/2023]
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87
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Tickerhoof MC, Smith AS. Vasopressinergic Neurocircuitry Regulating Social Attachment in a Monogamous Species. Front Endocrinol (Lausanne) 2017; 8:265. [PMID: 29075234 PMCID: PMC5641547 DOI: 10.3389/fendo.2017.00265] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/31/2017] [Accepted: 09/21/2017] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
The prairie vole (Microtus ochrogaster) is a socially monogamous rodent species that forms a lasting connection between mates, known as a pair bond. The pair bond is primarily characterized by three distinct behaviors: partner preference, selective aggression, and biparental care of the young. The presence of these behaviors in the prairie vole and their absence in closely related non-monogamous species makes the prairie vole an important model of social relationships and facilitates the study of the neurobiological mechanisms of social affiliation and attachment. The nona-peptide arginine-vasopressin (AVP) is an important neuromodulator of social behavior and has been implicated in the regulation of the pair bond-related behaviors of the prairie vole, through activation of the AVP receptor subtype 1a (AVPR1a). Modulation of AVPR1a activity in different regions of the prairie vole brain impacts pair bond behavior, suggesting a role of AVP in neurocircuitry responsible for the regulation of social attachment. This review will discuss findings that have suggested the role of AVP in regulation of the pair bond-related behaviors of the prairie vole and the specific brain regions through which AVP acts to impact these unique behaviors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria C. Tickerhoof
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, School of Pharmacy, University of Kansas, Lawrence, KS, United States
| | - Adam S. Smith
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, School of Pharmacy, University of Kansas, Lawrence, KS, United States
- *Correspondence: Adam S. Smith,
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88
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Okhovat M, Maguire SM, Phelps SM. Methylation of avpr1a in the cortex of wild prairie voles: effects of CpG position and polymorphism. ROYAL SOCIETY OPEN SCIENCE 2017. [PMID: 28280564 DOI: 10.5061/dryad.f8d4r] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/02/2023]
Abstract
DNA methylation can cause stable changes in neuronal gene expression, but we know little about its role in individual differences in the wild. In this study, we focus on the vasopressin 1a receptor (avpr1a), a gene extensively implicated in vertebrate social behaviour, and explore natural variation in DNA methylation, genetic polymorphism and neuronal gene expression among 30 wild prairie voles (Microtus ochrogaster). Examination of CpG density across 8 kb of the locus revealed two distinct CpG islands overlapping promoter and first exon, characterized by few CpG polymorphisms. We used a targeted bisulfite sequencing approach to measure DNA methylation across approximately 3 kb of avpr1a in the retrosplenial cortex, a brain region implicated in male space use and sexual fidelity. We find dramatic variation in methylation across the avrp1a locus, with pronounced diversity near the exon-intron boundary and in a genetically variable putative enhancer within the intron. Among our wild voles, differences in cortical avpr1a expression correlate with DNA methylation in this putative enhancer, but not with the methylation status of the promoter. We also find an unusually high number of polymorphic CpG sites (polyCpGs) in this focal enhancer. One polyCpG within this enhancer (polyCpG 2170) may drive variation in expression either by disrupting transcription factor binding motifs or by changing local DNA methylation and chromatin silencing. Our results contradict some assumptions made within behavioural epigenetics, but are remarkably concordant with genome-wide studies of gene regulation.
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Affiliation(s)
- M Okhovat
- Department of Integrative Biology , University of Texas at Austin , Austin, TX , USA
| | - S M Maguire
- Department of Integrative Biology , University of Texas at Austin , Austin, TX , USA
| | - S M Phelps
- Department of Integrative Biology , University of Texas at Austin , Austin, TX , USA
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89
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Tabbaa M, Paedae B, Liu Y, Wang Z. Neuropeptide Regulation of Social Attachment: The Prairie Vole Model. Compr Physiol 2016; 7:81-104. [PMID: 28135000 DOI: 10.1002/cphy.c150055] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022]
Abstract
Social attachments are ubiquitous among humans and integral to human health. Although great efforts have been made to elucidate the neural underpinnings regulating social attachments, we still know relatively little about the neuronal and neurochemical regulation of social attachments. As a laboratory animal research model, the socially monogamous prairie vole (Microtus ochrogaster) displays behaviors paralleling human social attachments and thus has provided unique insights into the neural regulation of social behaviors. Research in prairie voles has particularly highlighted the significance of neuropeptidergic regulation of social behaviors, especially of the roles of oxytocin (OT) and vasopressin (AVP). This article aims to review these findings. We begin by discussing the role of the OT and AVP systems in regulating social behaviors relevant to social attachments, and thereafter restrict our discussion to studies in prairie voles. Specifically, we discuss the role of OT and AVP in adult mate attachments, biparental care, social isolation, and social buffering as informed by studies utilizing the prairie vole model. Not only do these studies offer insight into social attachments in humans, but they also point to dysregulated mechanisms in several mental disorders. We conclude by discussing these implications for human health. © 2017 American Physiological Society. Compr Physiol 7:81-104, 2017.
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Affiliation(s)
- Manal Tabbaa
- Department of Psychology and Program in Neuroscience, Florida State University, Tallahassee, Florida, USA
| | - Brennan Paedae
- Department of Psychology and Program in Neuroscience, Florida State University, Tallahassee, Florida, USA
| | - Yan Liu
- Department of Psychology and Program in Neuroscience, Florida State University, Tallahassee, Florida, USA
| | - Zuoxin Wang
- Department of Psychology and Program in Neuroscience, Florida State University, Tallahassee, Florida, USA
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90
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Lieberwirth C, Wang Z. The neurobiology of pair bond formation, bond disruption, and social buffering. Curr Opin Neurobiol 2016; 40:8-13. [PMID: 27290660 PMCID: PMC5072360 DOI: 10.1016/j.conb.2016.05.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 43] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/01/2016] [Revised: 05/23/2016] [Accepted: 05/27/2016] [Indexed: 10/21/2022]
Abstract
Enduring social bonds play an essential role in human society. These bonds positively affect psychological, physiological, and behavioral functions. Here, we review the recent literature on the neurobiology, particularly the role of oxytocin and dopamine, of pair bond formation, bond disruption, and social buffering effects on stress responses, from studies utilizing the socially monogamous prairie vole (Microtus ochrogaster).
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Zuoxin Wang
- Department of Psychology and Program in Neuroscience, Florida State University, Tallahassee, FL 32306, USA
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91
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92
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The ties that bond: neurochemistry of attachment in voles. Curr Opin Neurobiol 2016; 38:80-8. [PMID: 27131991 DOI: 10.1016/j.conb.2016.04.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/10/2016] [Revised: 04/15/2016] [Accepted: 04/18/2016] [Indexed: 01/12/2023]
Abstract
In socially monogamous prairie voles (Microtus ochrogaster), mating induces three primary types of behavior; namely, partner preference, selective aggression toward conspecific strangers, and bi-parental care, making this rodent an ideal model system to study sociality and underlying neurochemical mechanisms associated with monogamous mating strategies. Here, we highlight species differences in neurochemical receptor distributions associated with mating experience leading to the establishment of stable pair-bonds. Specifically, we illustrate the role of nucleus accumbens dopamine in programming the formation and maintenance of monogamous bonds and describe the role of anterior hypothalamic vasopressin in the regulation of selective aggression. We conclude by discussing recent molecular work in voles and emphasize the importance of this rodent for future research in the behavioral neurobiology field.
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93
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Ondrasek NR. Emerging Frontiers in Social Neuroendocrinology and the Study of Nonapeptides. Ethology 2016. [DOI: 10.1111/eth.12493] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Naomi R. Ondrasek
- Department of Neurobiology, Physiology, and Behavior University of California Davis CA USA
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94
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Affiliation(s)
- Gene E Robinson
- Carl R. Woese Institute for Genomic Biology, Department of Entomology, Neuroscience Program, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL 61801, USA.
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