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He J, Fu T, Zhang L, Wanrong Gao L, Rensel M, Remage-Healey L, White SA, Gedman G, Whitelegge J, Xiao X, Schlinger BA. Improved zebra finch brain transcriptome identifies novel proteins with sex differences. Gene 2022; 843:146803. [PMID: 35961439 DOI: 10.1016/j.gene.2022.146803] [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: 04/25/2022] [Revised: 07/18/2022] [Accepted: 08/05/2022] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
The zebra finch (Taeniopygia guttata), a representative oscine songbird species, has been widely studied to investigate behavioral neuroscience, most notably the neurobiological basis of vocal learning, a rare trait shared in only a few animal groups including humans. In 2019, an updated zebra finch genome annotation (bTaeGut1_v1.p) was released from the Ensembl database and is substantially more comprehensive than the first version published in 2010. In this study, we utilized the publicly available RNA-seq data generated from Illumina-based short-reads and PacBio single-molecule real-time (SMRT) long-reads to assess the bird transcriptome. To analyze the high-throughput RNA-seq data, we adopted a hybrid bioinformatic approach combining short and long-read pipelines. From our analysis, we added 220 novel genes and 8,134 transcript variants to the Ensembl annotation, and predicted a new proteome based on the refined annotation. We further validated 18 different novel proteins by using mass-spectrometry data generated from zebra finch caudal telencephalon tissue. Our results provide additional resources for future studies of zebra finches utilizing this improved bird genome annotation and proteome.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jingyan He
- Department of Integrative Biology and Physiology, University of California, Los Angeles 90095, United States
| | - Ting Fu
- Molecular, Cellular and Integrative Physiology Interdepartmental Program, University of California, Los Angeles 90095, United States
| | - Ling Zhang
- Department of Integrative Biology and Physiology, University of California, Los Angeles 90095, United States
| | - Lucy Wanrong Gao
- The Pasarow Mass Spectrometry Laboratory, The Jane and Terry Semel Institute for Neuroscience and Human Behavior, Brain Research Institute, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles 90095, United States
| | - Michelle Rensel
- The Institute for Society and Genetics, University of California, Los Angeles 90095, United States
| | - Luke Remage-Healey
- Center for Neuroendocrine Studies, Neuroscience and Behavior, 639 N. Pleasant St, Morrill IVN Neuroscience, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, MA 01003, United States
| | - Stephanie A White
- Department of Integrative Biology and Physiology, University of California, Los Angeles 90095, United States
| | - Gregory Gedman
- Department of Integrative Biology and Physiology, University of California, Los Angeles 90095, United States
| | - Julian Whitelegge
- The Pasarow Mass Spectrometry Laboratory, The Jane and Terry Semel Institute for Neuroscience and Human Behavior, Brain Research Institute, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles 90095, United States
| | - Xinshu Xiao
- Department of Integrative Biology and Physiology, University of California, Los Angeles 90095, United States
| | - Barney A Schlinger
- Department of Integrative Biology and Physiology, University of California, Los Angeles 90095, United States.
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2
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Moaraf S, Rippin I, Terkel J, Eldar-Finkelman H, Barnea A. GSK-3β Inhibition in Birds Affects Social Behavior and Increases Motor Activity. Front Physiol 2022; 13:881174. [PMID: 35574473 PMCID: PMC9095836 DOI: 10.3389/fphys.2022.881174] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/22/2022] [Accepted: 04/11/2022] [Indexed: 01/25/2023] Open
Abstract
Glycogen synthase kinase-3 (GSK-3) is a highly conserved serine/threonine protein kinase that plays a central role in a wide variety of cellular processes, cognition and behaviour. In a previous study we showed that its α and β isozymes are highly conserved in vertebrates, however the α gene is missing in birds. This selective loss offers a unique opportunity to study the role of GSK-3β independently. Accordingly, in the present study we aimed to investigate the role of GSK-3β in social behaviour, motivation, and motor activity in zebra finches (Taeniopygia guttata). We did that by selective inhibition of GSK-3β and by using tests that were specifically designed in our laboratory. Our results show that GSK-3β inhibition: 1) Affected social recognition, because the treated birds tended to move closer towards a stranger, unlike the control birds that stood closer to a familiar bird. 2) Caused the treated birds to spend more time in the more middle parts of the cage compared to controls, a behaviour that might indicate anxiety. 3) As the experiment progressed, the treated birds took less time to make a decision where to stand in the cage compared to controls, suggesting an effect on decision-making. 4) Increased in the motor activity of the treated birds compared to the controls, which can be regarded as hyperactivity. 5) Caused the treated birds to pass through a barrier in order to join their flock members faster compared to controls, and regardless of the increase in the level of difficulty, possibly suggesting increased motivation. Our study calls for further investigation, because GSK-3 is well acknowledged as a central player in regulating mood behaviour, cognitive functions, and neuronal viability. Therefore, studying its impact on normal behaviour as we did in the current study, unlike most studies that were done in diseases models, can advance our understanding regarding GSK-3 various roles and can contribute to the discovery and development of effective treatments to repair cognition and behaviour.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stan Moaraf
- School of Zoology, Tel-Aviv University, Tel-Aviv, Israel
| | - Ido Rippin
- Department of Human Molecular Genetics and Biochemistry Sackler School of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel
| | - Joseph Terkel
- School of Zoology, Tel-Aviv University, Tel-Aviv, Israel
| | - Hagit Eldar-Finkelman
- Department of Human Molecular Genetics and Biochemistry Sackler School of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel
| | - Anat Barnea
- Department of Natural and Life Sciences, The Open University of Israel, Ra’anana, Israel
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3
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London SE. Gene manipulation to test links between genome, brain and behavior in developing songbirds: a test case. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2020; 223:223/Suppl_1/jeb206516. [PMID: 32034039 DOI: 10.1242/jeb.206516] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
Songbird research has made many seminal contributions to the fields of ethology, endocrinology, physiology, ecology, evolution and neurobiology. Genome manipulation is thus a promising new methodological strategy to enhance the existing strengths of the songbird system to advance and expand fundamental knowledge of how genetic sequences and regulation of genomic function support complex natural learned behaviors. In zebra finches (Taeniopygia guttata) in particular, a rich set of questions about the complex process of developmental song learning in juvenile males has been defined. This Review uses one area of zebra finch song learning to demonstrate how genome editing can advance causal investigations into known genome-brain-behavior relationships. Given the number and diversity of songbird species, comparative work leveraging genome manipulation would expand the influence of these birds in additional fields of ecology and evolution for song learning and other behaviors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarah E London
- Department of Psychology, Institute for Mind and Biology, Grossman Institute for Neuroscience, Quantitative Biology and Human Behavior, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL 60637, USA
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4
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Sakata JT, Woolley SC. Scaling the Levels of Birdsong Analysis. THE NEUROETHOLOGY OF BIRDSONG 2020. [DOI: 10.1007/978-3-030-34683-6_1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/17/2023]
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5
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London SE. Developmental song learning as a model to understand neural mechanisms that limit and promote the ability to learn. Behav Processes 2017; 163:13-23. [PMID: 29162376 DOI: 10.1016/j.beproc.2017.11.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/14/2017] [Revised: 10/04/2017] [Accepted: 11/10/2017] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
Abstract
Songbirds famously learn their vocalizations. Some species can learn continuously, others seasonally, and still others just once. The zebra finch (Taeniopygia guttata) learns to sing during a single developmental "Critical Period," a restricted phase during which a specific experience has profound and permanent effects on brain function and behavioral patterns. The zebra finch can therefore provide fundamental insight into features that promote and limit the ability to acquire complex learned behaviors. For example, what properties permit the brain to come "on-line" for learning? How does experience become encoded to prevent future learning? What features define the brain in receptive compared to closed learning states? This piece will focus on epigenomic, genomic, and molecular levels of analysis that operate on the timescales of development and complex behavioral learning. Existing data will be discussed as they relate to Critical Period learning, and strategies for future studies to more directly address these questions will be considered. Birdsong learning is a powerful model for advancing knowledge of the biological intersections of maturation and experience. Lessons from its study not only have implications for understanding developmental song learning, but also broader questions of learning potential and the enduring effects of early life experience on neural systems and behavior.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarah E London
- Department of Psychology, Institute for Mind and Biology, Grossman Institute for Neuroscience, Quantitative Biology and Human Behavior, University of Chicago, 940 E 57th Street, Chicago, IL 60637, USA.
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Abstract
Over the last decade, tremendous progress has been made toward a comparative understanding of gene regulatory evolution. However, we know little about how gene regulation evolves in birds, and how divergent genomes interact in their hybrids. Because of the unique features of birds – female heterogamety, a highly conserved karyotype, and the slow evolution of reproductive incompatibilities – an understanding of regulatory evolution in birds is critical to a comprehensive understanding of regulatory evolution and its implications for speciation. Using a novel complement of analyses of replicated RNA-seq libraries, we demonstrate abundant divergence in brain gene expression between zebra finch (Taeniopygia guttata) subspecies. By comparing parental populations and their F1 hybrids, we also show that gene misexpression is relatively rare among brain-expressed transcripts in male birds. If this pattern is consistent across tissues and sexes, it may partially explain the slow buildup of postzygotic reproductive isolation observed in birds relative to other taxa. Although we expected that the action of genetic drift on the island-dwelling zebra finch subspecies would be manifested in a higher rate of trans regulatory divergence, we found that most divergence was in cis regulation, following a pattern commonly observed in other taxa. Thus, our study highlights both unique and shared features of avian regulatory evolution.
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Ligout S, Dentressangle F, Mathevon N, Vignal C. Not for Parents Only: Begging Calls Allow Nest-Mate Discrimination in Juvenile Zebra Finches. Ethology 2015. [DOI: 10.1111/eth.12450] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Séverine Ligout
- Université de Lyon/Saint-Etienne; Neuro-PSI/ENES CNRS UMR 9197; Saint-Etienne France
| | - Fabrice Dentressangle
- Université de Lyon/Saint-Etienne; Neuro-PSI/ENES CNRS UMR 9197; Saint-Etienne France
| | - Nicolas Mathevon
- Université de Lyon/Saint-Etienne; Neuro-PSI/ENES CNRS UMR 9197; Saint-Etienne France
| | - Clémentine Vignal
- Université de Lyon/Saint-Etienne; Neuro-PSI/ENES CNRS UMR 9197; Saint-Etienne France
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8
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Schmid M, Smith J, Burt DW, Aken BL, Antin PB, Archibald AL, Ashwell C, Blackshear PJ, Boschiero C, Brown CT, Burgess SC, Cheng HH, Chow W, Coble DJ, Cooksey A, Crooijmans RPMA, Damas J, Davis RVN, de Koning DJ, Delany ME, Derrien T, Desta TT, Dunn IC, Dunn M, Ellegren H, Eöry L, Erb I, Farré M, Fasold M, Fleming D, Flicek P, Fowler KE, Frésard L, Froman DP, Garceau V, Gardner PP, Gheyas AA, Griffin DK, Groenen MAM, Haaf T, Hanotte O, Hart A, Häsler J, Hedges SB, Hertel J, Howe K, Hubbard A, Hume DA, Kaiser P, Kedra D, Kemp SJ, Klopp C, Kniel KE, Kuo R, Lagarrigue S, Lamont SJ, Larkin DM, Lawal RA, Markland SM, McCarthy F, McCormack HA, McPherson MC, Motegi A, Muljo SA, Münsterberg A, Nag R, Nanda I, Neuberger M, Nitsche A, Notredame C, Noyes H, O'Connor R, O'Hare EA, Oler AJ, Ommeh SC, Pais H, Persia M, Pitel F, Preeyanon L, Prieto Barja P, Pritchett EM, Rhoads DD, Robinson CM, Romanov MN, Rothschild M, Roux PF, Schmidt CJ, Schneider AS, Schwartz MG, Searle SM, Skinner MA, Smith CA, Stadler PF, Steeves TE, Steinlein C, Sun L, Takata M, Ulitsky I, Wang Q, Wang Y, Warren WC, Wood JMD, Wragg D, Zhou H. Third Report on Chicken Genes and Chromosomes 2015. Cytogenet Genome Res 2015; 145:78-179. [PMID: 26282327 PMCID: PMC5120589 DOI: 10.1159/000430927] [Citation(s) in RCA: 65] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Michael Schmid
- Department of Human Genetics, University of Würzburg, Würzburg, Germany
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Aloni E, Shapira M, Eldar-Finkelman H, Barnea A. GSK-3β Inhibition Affects Singing Behavior and Neurogenesis in Adult Songbirds. BRAIN, BEHAVIOR AND EVOLUTION 2015; 85:233-44. [PMID: 26065821 DOI: 10.1159/000382029] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/24/2014] [Accepted: 04/01/2015] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Abstract
GSK-3 (glycogen synthase kinase-3) is a serine/threonine kinase which is a critical regulator in neuronal signaling, cognition, and behavior. We have previously shown that unlike other vertebrates that harbor both α and β GSK-3 genes, the α gene is missing in birds. Therefore, birds can be used as a new animal model to study the roles of GSK-3β in behavior and in regulating adult neurogenesis. In the present study, we inhibited GSK-3β in brains of adult male zebra finches (Taeniopygia guttata) and accordingly investigated how this inhibition affects behavior and cell proliferation. Our results show that GSK-3 inhibition: (1) affects specific aspects of singing behavior, which might be related to social interactions in birds, and (2) differentially affects cell proliferation in various parts of the ventricular zone. Taken together, our study demonstrates a role of GSK-3β in regulating singing behavior and neuronal proliferation in birds and highlights the importance of GSK-3β in modulating cognitive abilities as well as social behavior.
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Affiliation(s)
- Etay Aloni
- Department of Human Molecular Genetics and Biochemistry, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel
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10
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Transgenic songbirds with suppressed or enhanced activity of CREB transcription factor. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2015; 112:7599-604. [PMID: 26048905 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1413484112] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Songbirds postnatally develop their skill to utter and to perceive a vocal signal for communication. How genetic and environmental influences act in concert to regulate the development of such skill is not fully understood. Here, we report the phenotype of transgenic songbirds with altered intrinsic activity of cAMP response element-binding protein (CREB) transcription factor. By viral vector-mediated modification of genomic DNA, we established germ line-transmitted lines of zebra finches, which exhibited enhanced or suppressed activity of CREB. Although intrinsically acquired vocalizations or their hearing ability were not affected, the transgenic birds showed reduced vocal learning quality of their own songs and impaired audio-memory formation against conspecific songs. These results thus demonstrate that appropriate activity of CREB is necessary for the postnatal acquisition of learned behavior in songbirds, and the CREB transgenic birds offer a unique opportunity to separately manipulate both genetic and environmental factors that impinge on the postnatal song learning.
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11
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Lin YC, Balakrishnan CN, Clayton DF. Functional genomic analysis and neuroanatomical localization of miR-2954, a song-responsive sex-linked microRNA in the zebra finch. Front Neurosci 2014; 8:409. [PMID: 25565940 PMCID: PMC4267206 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2014.00409] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/28/2014] [Accepted: 11/23/2014] [Indexed: 01/12/2023] Open
Abstract
Natural experience can cause complex changes in gene expression in brain centers for cognition and perception, but the mechanisms that link perceptual experience and neurogenomic regulation are not understood. MicroRNAs (miRNAs or miRs) have the potential to regulate large gene expression networks, and a previous study showed that a natural perceptual stimulus (hearing the sound of birdsong in zebra finches) triggers rapid changes in expression of several miRs in the auditory forebrain. Here we evaluate the functional potential of one of these, miR-2954, which has been found so far only in birds and is encoded on the Z sex chromosome. Using fluorescence in situ hybridization and immunohistochemistry, we show that miR-2954 is present in subsets of cells in the sexually dimorphic brain regions involved in song production and perception, with notable enrichment in cell nuclei. We then probe its regulatory function by inhibiting its expression in a zebra finch cell line (G266) and measuring effects on endogenous gene expression using Illumina RNA sequencing (RNA-seq). Approximately 1000 different mRNAs change in expression by 1.5-fold or more (adjusted p < 0.01), with increases in some but not all of the targets that had been predicted by Targetscan. The population of RNAs that increase after miR-2954 inhibition is notably enriched for ones involved in the MAP Kinase (MAPK) pathway, whereas the decreasing population is dominated by genes involved in ribosomes and mitochondrial function. Since song stimulation itself triggers a decrease in miR-2954 expression followed by a delayed decrease in genes encoding ribosomal and mitochondrial functions, we suggest that miR-2954 may mediate some of the neurogenomic effects of song habituation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ya-Chi Lin
- Genomics of Neural and Behavioral Plasticity Theme, Institute for Genomic Biology, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, IL, USA ; Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, IL, USA
| | | | - David F Clayton
- Genomics of Neural and Behavioral Plasticity Theme, Institute for Genomic Biology, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, IL, USA ; Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, IL, USA ; Department of Biological and Experimental Psychology, School of Biological and Chemical Sciences, Queen Mary University of London London, UK
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12
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Jarvis ED, Mirarab S, Aberer AJ, Li B, Houde P, Li C, Ho SYW, Faircloth BC, Nabholz B, Howard JT, Suh A, Weber CC, da Fonseca RR, Li J, Zhang F, Li H, Zhou L, Narula N, Liu L, Ganapathy G, Boussau B, Bayzid MS, Zavidovych V, Subramanian S, Gabaldón T, Capella-Gutiérrez S, Huerta-Cepas J, Rekepalli B, Munch K, Schierup M, Lindow B, Warren WC, Ray D, Green RE, Bruford MW, Zhan X, Dixon A, Li S, Li N, Huang Y, Derryberry EP, Bertelsen MF, Sheldon FH, Brumfield RT, Mello CV, Lovell PV, Wirthlin M, Schneider MPC, Prosdocimi F, Samaniego JA, Vargas Velazquez AM, Alfaro-Núñez A, Campos PF, Petersen B, Sicheritz-Ponten T, Pas A, Bailey T, Scofield P, Bunce M, Lambert DM, Zhou Q, Perelman P, Driskell AC, Shapiro B, Xiong Z, Zeng Y, Liu S, Li Z, Liu B, Wu K, Xiao J, Yinqi X, Zheng Q, Zhang Y, Yang H, Wang J, Smeds L, Rheindt FE, Braun M, Fjeldsa J, Orlando L, Barker FK, Jønsson KA, Johnson W, Koepfli KP, O'Brien S, Haussler D, Ryder OA, Rahbek C, Willerslev E, Graves GR, Glenn TC, McCormack J, Burt D, Ellegren H, Alström P, Edwards SV, Stamatakis A, Mindell DP, Cracraft J, Braun EL, Warnow T, Jun W, Gilbert MTP, Zhang G. Whole-genome analyses resolve early branches in the tree of life of modern birds. Science 2014; 346:1320-31. [PMID: 25504713 PMCID: PMC4405904 DOI: 10.1126/science.1253451] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1124] [Impact Index Per Article: 112.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
To better determine the history of modern birds, we performed a genome-scale phylogenetic analysis of 48 species representing all orders of Neoaves using phylogenomic methods created to handle genome-scale data. We recovered a highly resolved tree that confirms previously controversial sister or close relationships. We identified the first divergence in Neoaves, two groups we named Passerea and Columbea, representing independent lineages of diverse and convergently evolved land and water bird species. Among Passerea, we infer the common ancestor of core landbirds to have been an apex predator and confirm independent gains of vocal learning. Among Columbea, we identify pigeons and flamingoes as belonging to sister clades. Even with whole genomes, some of the earliest branches in Neoaves proved challenging to resolve, which was best explained by massive protein-coding sequence convergence and high levels of incomplete lineage sorting that occurred during a rapid radiation after the Cretaceous-Paleogene mass extinction event about 66 million years ago.
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Affiliation(s)
- Erich D Jarvis
- Department of Neurobiology, Howard Hughes Medical Institute (HHMI), and Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC 27710, USA.
| | - Siavash Mirarab
- Department of Computer Science, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX 78712, USA
| | - Andre J Aberer
- Scientific Computing Group, Heidelberg Institute for Theoretical Studies, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Bo Li
- China National GeneBank, BGI-Shenzhen, Shenzhen 518083, China. College of Medicine and Forensics, Xi'an Jiaotong University Xi'an 710061, China. Centre for GeoGenetics, Natural History Museum of Denmark, University of Copenhagen, Øster Voldgade 5-7, 1350 Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Peter Houde
- Department of Biology, New Mexico State University, Las Cruces, NM 88003, USA
| | - Cai Li
- China National GeneBank, BGI-Shenzhen, Shenzhen 518083, China. Centre for GeoGenetics, Natural History Museum of Denmark, University of Copenhagen, Øster Voldgade 5-7, 1350 Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Simon Y W Ho
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales 2006, Australia
| | - Brant C Faircloth
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of California, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA. Department of Biological Sciences, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, LA 70803, USA
| | - Benoit Nabholz
- CNRS UMR 5554, Institut des Sciences de l'Evolution de Montpellier, Université Montpellier II Montpellier, France
| | - Jason T Howard
- Department of Neurobiology, Howard Hughes Medical Institute (HHMI), and Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC 27710, USA
| | - Alexander Suh
- Department of Evolutionary Biology, Evolutionary Biology Centre, Uppsala University, SE-752 36 Uppsala Sweden
| | - Claudia C Weber
- Department of Evolutionary Biology, Evolutionary Biology Centre, Uppsala University, SE-752 36 Uppsala Sweden
| | - Rute R da Fonseca
- Centre for GeoGenetics, Natural History Museum of Denmark, University of Copenhagen, Øster Voldgade 5-7, 1350 Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Jianwen Li
- China National GeneBank, BGI-Shenzhen, Shenzhen 518083, China
| | - Fang Zhang
- China National GeneBank, BGI-Shenzhen, Shenzhen 518083, China
| | - Hui Li
- China National GeneBank, BGI-Shenzhen, Shenzhen 518083, China
| | - Long Zhou
- China National GeneBank, BGI-Shenzhen, Shenzhen 518083, China
| | - Nitish Narula
- Department of Biology, New Mexico State University, Las Cruces, NM 88003, USA. Biodiversity and Biocomplexity Unit, Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology Onna-son, Okinawa 904-0495, Japan
| | - Liang Liu
- Department of Statistics and Institute of Bioinformatics, University of Georgia, Athens, GA 30602, USA
| | - Ganesh Ganapathy
- Department of Neurobiology, Howard Hughes Medical Institute (HHMI), and Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC 27710, USA
| | - Bastien Boussau
- Laboratoire de Biométrie et Biologie Evolutive, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, Université de Lyon, F-69622 Villeurbanne, France
| | - Md Shamsuzzoha Bayzid
- Department of Computer Science, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX 78712, USA
| | - Volodymyr Zavidovych
- Department of Neurobiology, Howard Hughes Medical Institute (HHMI), and Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC 27710, USA
| | - Sankar Subramanian
- Environmental Futures Research Institute, Griffith University, Nathan, Queensland 4111, Australia
| | - Toni Gabaldón
- Bioinformatics and Genomics Programme, Centre for Genomic Regulation, Dr. Aiguader 88, 08003 Barcelona, Spain. Universitat Pompeu Fabra, Barcelona, Spain. Institució Catalana de Recerca i Estudis Avançats, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Salvador Capella-Gutiérrez
- Bioinformatics and Genomics Programme, Centre for Genomic Regulation, Dr. Aiguader 88, 08003 Barcelona, Spain. Universitat Pompeu Fabra, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Jaime Huerta-Cepas
- Bioinformatics and Genomics Programme, Centre for Genomic Regulation, Dr. Aiguader 88, 08003 Barcelona, Spain. Universitat Pompeu Fabra, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Bhanu Rekepalli
- Joint Institute for Computational Sciences, The University of Tennessee, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, TN 37831, USA
| | - Kasper Munch
- Bioinformatics Research Centre, Aarhus University, DK-8000 Aarhus C, Denmark
| | - Mikkel Schierup
- Bioinformatics Research Centre, Aarhus University, DK-8000 Aarhus C, Denmark
| | - Bent Lindow
- Centre for GeoGenetics, Natural History Museum of Denmark, University of Copenhagen, Øster Voldgade 5-7, 1350 Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Wesley C Warren
- The Genome Institute, Washington University School of Medicine, St Louis, MI 63108, USA
| | - David Ray
- Department of Biochemistry, Molecular Biology, Entomology and Plant Pathology, Mississippi State University, Mississippi State, MS 39762, USA. Institute for Genomics, Biocomputing and Biotechnology, Mississippi State University, Mississippi State, MS 39762, USA. Department of Biological Sciences, Texas Tech University, Lubbock, TX 79409, USA
| | - Richard E Green
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of California Santa Cruz (UCSC), Santa Cruz, CA 95064, USA
| | - Michael W Bruford
- Organisms and Environment Division, Cardiff School of Biosciences, Cardiff University Cardiff CF10 3AX, Wales, UK
| | - Xiangjiang Zhan
- Organisms and Environment Division, Cardiff School of Biosciences, Cardiff University Cardiff CF10 3AX, Wales, UK. Key Laboratory of Animal Ecology and Conservation Biology, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China
| | - Andrew Dixon
- International Wildlife Consultants, Carmarthen SA33 5YL, Wales, UK
| | - Shengbin Li
- College of Medicine and Forensics, Xi'an Jiaotong University Xi'an, 710061, China
| | - Ning Li
- State Key Laboratory for Agrobiotechnology, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100094, China
| | - Yinhua Huang
- State Key Laboratory for Agrobiotechnology, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100094, China
| | - Elizabeth P Derryberry
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Tulane University, New Orleans, LA 70118, USA. Museum of Natural Science and Department of Biological Sciences, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, LA 70803, USA
| | - Mads Frost Bertelsen
- Center for Zoo and Wild Animal Health, Copenhagen Zoo Roskildevej 38, DK-2000 Frederiksberg, Denmark
| | - Frederick H Sheldon
- Museum of Natural Science and Department of Biological Sciences, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, LA 70803, USA
| | - Robb T Brumfield
- Museum of Natural Science and Department of Biological Sciences, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, LA 70803, USA
| | - Claudio V Mello
- Department of Behavioral Neuroscience, Oregon Health and Science University, Portland, OR 97239, USA. Brazilian Avian Genome Consortium (CNPq/FAPESPA-SISBIO Aves), Federal University of Para, Belem, Para, Brazil
| | - Peter V Lovell
- Department of Behavioral Neuroscience, Oregon Health and Science University, Portland, OR 97239, USA
| | - Morgan Wirthlin
- Department of Behavioral Neuroscience, Oregon Health and Science University, Portland, OR 97239, USA
| | - Maria Paula Cruz Schneider
- Brazilian Avian Genome Consortium (CNPq/FAPESPA-SISBIO Aves), Federal University of Para, Belem, Para, Brazil. Institute of Biological Sciences, Federal University of Para, Belem, Para, Brazil
| | - Francisco Prosdocimi
- Brazilian Avian Genome Consortium (CNPq/FAPESPA-SISBIO Aves), Federal University of Para, Belem, Para, Brazil. Institute of Medical Biochemistry Leopoldo de Meis, Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro RJ 21941-902, Brazil
| | - José Alfredo Samaniego
- Centre for GeoGenetics, Natural History Museum of Denmark, University of Copenhagen, Øster Voldgade 5-7, 1350 Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Amhed Missael Vargas Velazquez
- Centre for GeoGenetics, Natural History Museum of Denmark, University of Copenhagen, Øster Voldgade 5-7, 1350 Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Alonzo Alfaro-Núñez
- Centre for GeoGenetics, Natural History Museum of Denmark, University of Copenhagen, Øster Voldgade 5-7, 1350 Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Paula F Campos
- Centre for GeoGenetics, Natural History Museum of Denmark, University of Copenhagen, Øster Voldgade 5-7, 1350 Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Bent Petersen
- Centre for Biological Sequence Analysis, Department of Systems Biology, Technical University of Denmark Kemitorvet 208, 2800 Kgs Lyngby, Denmark
| | - Thomas Sicheritz-Ponten
- Centre for Biological Sequence Analysis, Department of Systems Biology, Technical University of Denmark Kemitorvet 208, 2800 Kgs Lyngby, Denmark
| | - An Pas
- Breeding Centre for Endangered Arabian Wildlife, Sharjah, United Arab Emirates
| | - Tom Bailey
- Dubai Falcon Hospital, Dubai, United Arab Emirates
| | - Paul Scofield
- Canterbury Museum Rolleston Avenue, Christchurch 8050, New Zealand
| | - Michael Bunce
- Trace and Environmental DNA Laboratory Department of Environment and Agriculture, Curtin University, Perth, Western Australia 6102, Australia
| | - David M Lambert
- Environmental Futures Research Institute, Griffith University, Nathan, Queensland 4111, Australia
| | - Qi Zhou
- Department of Integrative Biology, University of California, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA
| | - Polina Perelman
- Laboratory of Genomic Diversity, National Cancer Institute Frederick, MD 21702, USA. Institute of Molecular and Cellular Biology, SB RAS and Novosibirsk State University, Novosibirsk, Russia
| | - Amy C Driskell
- Smithsonian Institution National Museum of Natural History, Washington, DC 20013, USA
| | - Beth Shapiro
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of California Santa Cruz (UCSC), Santa Cruz, CA 95064, USA
| | - Zijun Xiong
- China National GeneBank, BGI-Shenzhen, Shenzhen 518083, China
| | - Yongli Zeng
- China National GeneBank, BGI-Shenzhen, Shenzhen 518083, China
| | - Shiping Liu
- China National GeneBank, BGI-Shenzhen, Shenzhen 518083, China
| | - Zhenyu Li
- China National GeneBank, BGI-Shenzhen, Shenzhen 518083, China
| | - Binghang Liu
- China National GeneBank, BGI-Shenzhen, Shenzhen 518083, China
| | - Kui Wu
- China National GeneBank, BGI-Shenzhen, Shenzhen 518083, China
| | - Jin Xiao
- China National GeneBank, BGI-Shenzhen, Shenzhen 518083, China
| | - Xiong Yinqi
- China National GeneBank, BGI-Shenzhen, Shenzhen 518083, China
| | - Qiuemei Zheng
- China National GeneBank, BGI-Shenzhen, Shenzhen 518083, China
| | - Yong Zhang
- China National GeneBank, BGI-Shenzhen, Shenzhen 518083, China
| | | | - Jian Wang
- BGI-Shenzhen, Shenzhen 518083, China
| | - Linnea Smeds
- Department of Evolutionary Biology, Evolutionary Biology Centre, Uppsala University, SE-752 36 Uppsala Sweden
| | - Frank E Rheindt
- Department of Biological Sciences, National University of Singapore, Republic of Singapore
| | - Michael Braun
- Department of Vertebrate Zoology, National Museum of Natural History, Smithsonian Suitland, MD 20746, USA
| | - Jon Fjeldsa
- Center for Macroecology, Evolution and Climate, Natural History Museum of Denmark, University of Copenhagen, Universitetsparken 15, DK-2100 Copenhagen Ø, Denmark
| | - Ludovic Orlando
- Centre for GeoGenetics, Natural History Museum of Denmark, University of Copenhagen, Øster Voldgade 5-7, 1350 Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - F Keith Barker
- Bell Museum of Natural History, University of Minnesota, Saint Paul, MN 55108, USA
| | - Knud Andreas Jønsson
- Center for Macroecology, Evolution and Climate, Natural History Museum of Denmark, University of Copenhagen, Universitetsparken 15, DK-2100 Copenhagen Ø, Denmark. Department of Life Sciences, Natural History Museum, Cromwell Road, London SW7 5BD, UK. Department of Life Sciences, Imperial College London, Silwood Park Campus, Ascot SL5 7PY, UK
| | - Warren Johnson
- Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute, National Zoological Park, Front Royal, VA 22630, USA
| | - Klaus-Peter Koepfli
- Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute, National Zoological Park, Washington, DC 20008, USA
| | - Stephen O'Brien
- Theodosius Dobzhansky Center for Genome Bioinformatics, St. Petersburg State University, St. Petersburg, Russia 199004. Oceanographic Center, Nova Southeastern University, Ft Lauderdale, FL 33004, USA
| | - David Haussler
- Center for Biomolecular Science and Engineering, UCSC, Santa Cruz, CA 95064, USA
| | - Oliver A Ryder
- San Diego Zoo Institute for Conservation Research, Escondido, CA 92027, USA
| | - Carsten Rahbek
- Center for Macroecology, Evolution and Climate, Natural History Museum of Denmark, University of Copenhagen, Universitetsparken 15, DK-2100 Copenhagen Ø, Denmark. Department of Life Sciences, Imperial College London, Silwood Park Campus, Ascot SL5 7PY, UK
| | - Eske Willerslev
- Centre for GeoGenetics, Natural History Museum of Denmark, University of Copenhagen, Øster Voldgade 5-7, 1350 Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Gary R Graves
- Center for Macroecology, Evolution and Climate, Natural History Museum of Denmark, University of Copenhagen, Universitetsparken 15, DK-2100 Copenhagen Ø, Denmark. Department of Vertebrate Zoology, MRC-116, National Museum of Natural History, Smithsonian Institution, Washington, DC 20013, USA
| | - Travis C Glenn
- Department of Environmental Health Science, University of Georgia, Athens, GA 30602, USA
| | - John McCormack
- Moore Laboratory of Zoology and Department of Biology, Occidental College, Los Angeles, CA 90041, USA
| | - Dave Burt
- Department of Genomics and Genetics, The Roslin Institute and Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Studies, University of Edinburgh, Easter Bush Campus, Midlothian EH25 9RG, UK
| | - Hans Ellegren
- Department of Evolutionary Biology, Evolutionary Biology Centre, Uppsala University, SE-752 36 Uppsala Sweden
| | - Per Alström
- Swedish Species Information Centre, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences Box 7007, SE-750 07 Uppsala, Sweden. Key Laboratory of Zoological Systematics and Evolution, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China
| | - Scott V Edwards
- Department of Organismic and Evolutionary Biology and Museum of Comparative Zoology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA 02138, USA
| | - Alexandros Stamatakis
- Scientific Computing Group, Heidelberg Institute for Theoretical Studies, Heidelberg, Germany. Institute of Theoretical Informatics, Department of Informatics, Karlsruhe Institute of Technology, D- 76131 Karlsruhe, Germany
| | - David P Mindell
- Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, University of California, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA
| | - Joel Cracraft
- Department of Ornithology, American Museum of Natural History, New York, NY 10024, USA
| | - Edward L Braun
- Department of Biology and Genetics Institute, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32611, USA
| | - Tandy Warnow
- Department of Computer Science, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX 78712, USA. Departments of Bioengineering and Computer Science, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL 61801, USA.
| | - Wang Jun
- BGI-Shenzhen, Shenzhen 518083, China. Department of Biology, University of Copenhagen, Ole Maaløes Vej 5, 2200 Copenhagen, Denmark. Princess Al Jawhara Center of Excellence in the Research of Hereditary Disorders, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah 21589, Saudi Arabia. Macau University of Science and Technology, Avenida Wai long, Taipa, Macau 999078, China. Department of Medicine, University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong.
| | - M Thomas P Gilbert
- Centre for GeoGenetics, Natural History Museum of Denmark, University of Copenhagen, Øster Voldgade 5-7, 1350 Copenhagen, Denmark. Trace and Environmental DNA Laboratory Department of Environment and Agriculture, Curtin University, Perth, Western Australia 6102, Australia.
| | - Guojie Zhang
- China National GeneBank, BGI-Shenzhen, Shenzhen 518083, China. Centre for Social Evolution, Department of Biology, Universitetsparken 15, University of Copenhagen, DK-2100 Copenhagen, Denmark.
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13
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Skinner MK, Gurerrero-Bosagna C, Haque MM, Nilsson EE, Koop JAH, Knutie SA, Clayton DH. Epigenetics and the evolution of Darwin's Finches. Genome Biol Evol 2014; 6:1972-89. [PMID: 25062919 PMCID: PMC4159007 DOI: 10.1093/gbe/evu158] [Citation(s) in RCA: 86] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
The prevailing theory for the molecular basis of evolution involves genetic mutations that ultimately generate the heritable phenotypic variation on which natural selection acts. However, epigenetic transgenerational inheritance of phenotypic variation may also play an important role in evolutionary change. A growing number of studies have demonstrated the presence of epigenetic inheritance in a variety of different organisms that can persist for hundreds of generations. The possibility that epigenetic changes can accumulate over longer periods of evolutionary time has seldom been tested empirically. This study was designed to compare epigenetic changes among several closely related species of Darwin's finches, a well-known example of adaptive radiation. Erythrocyte DNA was obtained from five species of sympatric Darwin's finches that vary in phylogenetic relatedness. Genome-wide alterations in genetic mutations using copy number variation (CNV) were compared with epigenetic alterations associated with differential DNA methylation regions (epimutations). Epimutations were more common than genetic CNV mutations among the five species; furthermore, the number of epimutations increased monotonically with phylogenetic distance. Interestingly, the number of genetic CNV mutations did not consistently increase with phylogenetic distance. The number, chromosomal locations, regional clustering, and lack of overlap of epimutations and genetic mutations suggest that epigenetic changes are distinct and that they correlate with the evolutionary history of Darwin's finches. The potential functional significance of the epimutations was explored by comparing their locations on the genome to the location of evolutionarily important genes and cellular pathways in birds. Specific epimutations were associated with genes related to the bone morphogenic protein, toll receptor, and melanogenesis signaling pathways. Species-specific epimutations were significantly overrepresented in these pathways. As environmental factors are known to result in heritable changes in the epigenome, it is possible that epigenetic changes contribute to the molecular basis of the evolution of Darwin's finches.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael K Skinner
- Center for Reproductive Biology, School of Biological Sciences, Washington State University
| | - Carlos Gurerrero-Bosagna
- Center for Reproductive Biology, School of Biological Sciences, Washington State UniversityPresent address: Department of Physics, Biology and Chemistry (IFM), Linköping University, Sweden
| | - M Muksitul Haque
- Center for Reproductive Biology, School of Biological Sciences, Washington State University
| | - Eric E Nilsson
- Center for Reproductive Biology, School of Biological Sciences, Washington State University
| | - Jennifer A H Koop
- Department of Biology, University of UtahPresent address: Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ
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14
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Balakrishnan CN, Mukai M, Gonser RA, Wingfield JC, London SE, Tuttle EM, Clayton DF. Brain transcriptome sequencing and assembly of three songbird model systems for the study of social behavior. PeerJ 2014; 2:e396. [PMID: 24883256 PMCID: PMC4034602 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.396] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/26/2014] [Accepted: 05/06/2014] [Indexed: 02/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Emberizid sparrows (emberizidae) have played a prominent role in the study of avian vocal communication and social behavior. We present here brain transcriptomes for three emberizid model systems, song sparrow Melospiza melodia, white-throated sparrow Zonotrichia albicollis, and Gambel's white-crowned sparrow Zonotrichia leucophrys gambelii. Each of the assemblies covered fully or in part, over 89% of the previously annotated protein coding genes in the zebra finch Taeniopygia guttata, with 16,846, 15,805, and 16,646 unique BLAST hits in song, white-throated and white-crowned sparrows, respectively. As in previous studies, we find tissue of origin (auditory forebrain versus hypothalamus and whole brain) as an important determinant of overall expression profile. We also demonstrate the successful isolation of RNA and RNA-sequencing from post-mortem samples from building strikes and suggest that such an approach could be useful when traditional sampling opportunities are limited. These transcriptomes will be an important resource for the study of social behavior in birds and for data driven annotation of forthcoming whole genome sequences for these and other bird species.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Motoko Mukai
- Department of Food Science, College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, Cornell University , Ithaca, NY , USA ; Department of Neurobiology, Physiology and Behavior, University of California , Davis, CA , USA
| | - Rusty A Gonser
- Department of Biology and The Center for Genomic Advocacy (TCGA), Indiana State University , Terre Haute, IN , USA
| | - John C Wingfield
- Department of Neurobiology, Physiology and Behavior, University of California , Davis, CA , USA
| | - Sarah E London
- Department of Psychology, University of Chicago , Chicago, IL , USA
| | - Elaina M Tuttle
- Department of Biology and The Center for Genomic Advocacy (TCGA), Indiana State University , Terre Haute, IN , USA
| | - David F Clayton
- Division of Biological & Experimental Psychology, School of Biological and Chemical Sciences, Queen Mary University of London , London , UK
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15
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Banerjee S, Riordan M, Bhat MA. Genetic aspects of autism spectrum disorders: insights from animal models. Front Cell Neurosci 2014; 8:58. [PMID: 24605088 PMCID: PMC3932417 DOI: 10.3389/fncel.2014.00058] [Citation(s) in RCA: 87] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/02/2014] [Accepted: 02/07/2014] [Indexed: 01/26/2023] Open
Abstract
Autism spectrum disorders (ASDs) are a complex neurodevelopmental disorder that display a triad of core behavioral deficits including restricted interests, often accompanied by repetitive behavior, deficits in language and communication, and an inability to engage in reciprocal social interactions. ASD is among the most heritable disorders but is not a simple disorder with a singular pathology and has a rather complex etiology. It is interesting to note that perturbations in synaptic growth, development, and stability underlie a variety of neuropsychiatric disorders, including ASD, schizophrenia, epilepsy, and intellectual disability. Biological characterization of an increasing repertoire of synaptic mutants in various model organisms indicates synaptic dysfunction as causal in the pathophysiology of ASD. Our understanding of the genes and genetic pathways that contribute toward the formation, stabilization, and maintenance of functional synapses coupled with an in-depth phenotypic analysis of the cellular and behavioral characteristics is therefore essential to unraveling the pathogenesis of these disorders. In this review, we discuss the genetic aspects of ASD emphasizing on the well conserved set of genes and genetic pathways implicated in this disorder, many of which contribute to synapse assembly and maintenance across species. We also review how fundamental research using animal models is providing key insights into the various facets of human ASD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Swati Banerjee
- Department of Physiology, Center for Biomedical Neuroscience, School of Medicine, University of Texas Health Science Center San Antonio, TX, USA
| | - Maeveen Riordan
- Department of Physiology, Center for Biomedical Neuroscience, School of Medicine, University of Texas Health Science Center San Antonio, TX, USA
| | - Manzoor A Bhat
- Department of Physiology, Center for Biomedical Neuroscience, School of Medicine, University of Texas Health Science Center San Antonio, TX, USA
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16
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Murray JR, Varian-Ramos CW, Welch ZS, Saha MS. Embryological staging of the Zebra Finch, Taeniopygia guttata. J Morphol 2013; 274:1090-110. [PMID: 23813920 PMCID: PMC4239009 DOI: 10.1002/jmor.20165] [Citation(s) in RCA: 55] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/13/2012] [Revised: 04/22/2013] [Accepted: 04/25/2013] [Indexed: 01/02/2023]
Abstract
Zebra Finches (Taeniopygia guttata) are the most commonly used laboratory songbird species, yet their embryological development has been poorly characterized. Most studies to date apply Hamburger and Hamilton stages derived from chicken development; however, significant differences in development between precocial and altricial species suggest that they may not be directly comparable. We provide the first detailed description of embryological development in the Zebra Finch under standard artificial incubation. These descriptions confirm that some of the features used to classify chicken embryos into stages are not applicable in an altricial bird such as the Zebra Finch. This staging protocol will help to standardize future studies of embryological development in the Zebra Finch.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jessica R Murray
- Biology Department, College of William and MaryP.O. Box 8795, Williamsburg, Virginia, 23187
| | - Claire W Varian-Ramos
- Biology Department, College of William and MaryP.O. Box 8795, Williamsburg, Virginia, 23187
| | - Zoe S Welch
- Biology Department, College of William and MaryP.O. Box 8795, Williamsburg, Virginia, 23187
| | - Margaret S Saha
- Biology Department, College of William and MaryP.O. Box 8795, Williamsburg, Virginia, 23187
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17
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Balakrishnan CN, Chapus C, Brewer MS, Clayton DF. Brain transcriptome of the violet-eared waxbill Uraeginthus granatina and recent evolution in the songbird genome. Open Biol 2013; 3:130063. [PMID: 24004662 PMCID: PMC3787746 DOI: 10.1098/rsob.130063] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Songbirds are important models for the study of social behaviour and communication. To complement the recent genome sequencing of the domesticated zebra finch, we sequenced the brain transcriptome of a closely related songbird species, the violet-eared waxbill (Uraeginthus granatina). Both the zebra finch and violet-eared waxbill are members of the family Estrildidae, but differ markedly in their social behaviour. Using Roche 454 RNA sequencing, we generated an assembly and annotation of 11 084 waxbill orthologues of 17 475 zebra finch genes (64%), with an average transcript length of 1555 bp. We also identified 5985 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) of potential utility for future population genomic studies. Comparing the two species, we found evidence for rapid protein evolution (ω) and low polymorphism of the avian Z sex chromosome, consistent with prior studies of more divergent avian species. An intriguing outlier was putative chromosome 4A, which showed a high density of SNPs and low evolutionary rate relative to other chromosomes. Genome-wide ω was identical in zebra finch and violet-eared waxbill lineages, suggesting a similar demographic history with efficient purifying natural selection. Further comparisons of these and other estrildid finches may provide insights into the evolutionary neurogenomics of social behaviour.
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18
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London SE. Genome-brain-behavior interdependencies as a framework to understand hormone effects on learned behavior. Gen Comp Endocrinol 2013; 190:176-81. [PMID: 23684969 DOI: 10.1016/j.ygcen.2013.04.035] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/04/2012] [Revised: 04/28/2013] [Accepted: 04/30/2013] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
Hormones have profound effects on the maturation and function of the zebra finch song system. Hormones often signal through receptors that directly or indirectly regulate transcription. In this way, hormones and the genome are functionally connected. Genome-brain-behavior interdependencies are often studied on evolutionary timescales but we can now apply and test these relationships on short timescales, relevant to an individual. Here, we begin to place patterns of hormone-related gene expression into the timeframe of an individual's lifespan to consider how hormones contribute to organization of neural systems necessary for learned behavior, and how they might signal during experience in ways that affect future behavior. This framework illustrates both how much investigations into genome and hormone function are intertwined, and how much we still need to learn.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarah E London
- Department of Psychology, Institute for Mind and Biology, Committee on Neurobiology, University of Chicago, 129A BPSB, 940 E 57th Street, Chicago, IL 60637, USA.
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19
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Abstract
Songbirds have unique value as a model for memory and learning. In their natural social life, they communicate through vocalizations that they must learn to produce and recognize. Song communication elicits abrupt changes in gene expression in regions of the forebrain responsible for song perception and production--what is the functional significance of this genomic response? For 20 years, the focus of research was on just a few genes [primarily ZENK, now known as egr1 (early gene response 1)]. Recently, however, DNA microarrays have been developed and applied to songbird behavioral research, and in 2010 the initial draft assembly of the zebra finch genome was published. Together, these new data reveal that the genomic involvement in song processing is far more complex than anticipated. The concepts of neurogenomic computation and biological embedding are introduced as frameworks for future research.
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Affiliation(s)
- David F Clayton
- Biological and Experimental Psychology Division, School of Biological and Chemical Sciences, Queen Mary University of London, London E1 4NS, United Kingdom;
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20
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Ten unanswered questions in multimodal communication. Behav Ecol Sociobiol 2013; 67:1523-1539. [PMID: 23956487 PMCID: PMC3742419 DOI: 10.1007/s00265-013-1565-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 72] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/04/2012] [Revised: 04/04/2013] [Accepted: 04/16/2013] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Abstract
The study of multimodal communication has become an active and vibrant field. This special issue of Behavioral Ecology and Sociobiology brings together new developments in this rapidly expanding area. In this final contribution to the special issue, I look to the future and discuss ten questions in need of further work, touching on issues ranging from theoretical modeling and the evolution of behavior to molecular mechanisms and the development of behavior. In particular, I emphasize that the use of multimodal communication allows animals to switch between sensory channels when one channel becomes too noisy, and suggest that a better understanding of this process may help us both to understand the evolution of multisensory signaling and to predict the success of species facing environmental changes that affect signaling channels, such as urbanization and climate change. An expanded section is included on the effects of climate change on animal communication across sensory channels, urging researchers to pursue this topic due to the rapidity with which the environment is currently transforming.
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Quinn MJ, Hanna TL, Shiflett AA, McFarland CA, Cook ME, Johnson MS, Gust KA, Perkins EJ. Interspecific effects of 4A-DNT (4-amino-2,6-dinitrotoluene) and RDX (1,3,5-trinitro-1,3,5-triazine) in Japanese quail, Northern bobwhite, and Zebra finch. ECOTOXICOLOGY (LONDON, ENGLAND) 2013; 22:231-239. [PMID: 23161369 DOI: 10.1007/s10646-012-1019-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 11/03/2012] [Indexed: 06/01/2023]
Abstract
The purpose of this study was to assess the toxicological effects of two munition compounds, 4-amino-2,6-dinitrotoluene (4A-DNT) and 1,3,5-trinitro-1,3,5-triazine (RDX), on three different bird species: two common toxicological model species-the Northern Bobwhite (Colinus virginianus) and the Japanese Quail (Coturnix japonica), and a representative passerine-the Zebra Finch (Taeniopygia guttata). Bobwhite were exposed to 4A-DNT at 0, 8, 15, 30, 60, or 150 mg/kg body weight (bw) d by oral gavage for seven days; because the high dose of 4A-DNT was lethal to bobwhite, the maximum dose was changed to 100 mg/kg bw d for Japanese quail and finches to ensure tissue could be used for future toxicogenomic work. RDX was similarly administered at 0, 0.5, 1.5, 3, 6, or 12 mg/kg bw d. Blood was drawn prior to euthanasia for blood cellularity and chemistry analyses. Finches were clearly least affected by 4A-DNT as evidenced by a lack of observable effects. Bobwhite appeared to be the most sensitive species to 4A-DNT as observed through changes in blood cellularity and plasma chemistry effects. Bobwhite appeared to be more sensitive to RDX than Japanese Quail due to increased effects on measures of plasma chemistries. Finches exhibited the greatest sensitivity to RDX through increased mortality and seizure activity. This study suggests that sensitivity among species is chemical-specific and provides data that could be used to refine current avian sensitivity models used in ecological risk assessments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael J Quinn
- US Army Public Health Command, Toxicology Portfolio, Aberdeen Proving Ground, MD 21010, USA.
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22
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Noninvasive diffusive optical imaging of the auditory response to birdsong in the zebra finch. J Comp Physiol A Neuroethol Sens Neural Behav Physiol 2013; 199:227-38. [PMID: 23322445 DOI: 10.1007/s00359-012-0788-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/04/2012] [Revised: 12/08/2012] [Accepted: 12/17/2012] [Indexed: 01/15/2023]
Abstract
Songbirds communicate by learned vocalizations with concomitant changes in neurophysiological and genomic activities in discrete parts of the brain. Here, we tested a novel implementation of diffusive optical imaging (also known as diffuse optical imaging, DOI) for monitoring brain physiology associated with vocal signal perception. DOI noninvasively measures brain activity using red and near-infrared light delivered through optic fibers (optodes) resting on the scalp. DOI does not harm subjects, so it raises the possibility of repeatedly measuring brain activity and the effects of accumulated experience in the same subject over an entire life span, all while leaving tissue intact for further study. We developed a custom-made apparatus for interfacing optodes to the zebra finch (Taeniopygia guttata) head using 3D modeling software and rapid prototyping technology, and applied it to record responses to presentations of birdsong in isoflurane-anesthetized zebra finches. We discovered a subtle but significant difference between the hemoglobin spectra of zebra finches and mammals which has a major impact in how hemodynamic responses are interpreted in the zebra finch. Our measured responses to birdsong playback were robust, highly repeatable, and readily observed in single trials. Responses were complex in shape and closely paralleled responses described in mammals. They were localized to the caudal medial portion of the brain, consistent with response localization from prior gene expression, electrophysiological, and functional magnetic resonance imaging studies. These results define an approach for collecting neurophysiological data from songbirds that should be applicable to diverse species and adaptable for studies in awake behaving animals.
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23
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Impact of experience-dependent and -independent factors on gene expression in songbird brain. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2012; 109 Suppl 2:17245-52. [PMID: 23045667 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1200655109] [Citation(s) in RCA: 50] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Songbirds provide rich natural models for studying the relationships between brain anatomy, behavior, environmental signals, and gene expression. Under the Songbird Neurogenomics Initiative, investigators from 11 laboratories collected brain samples from six species of songbird under a range of experimental conditions, and 488 of these samples were analyzed systematically for gene expression by microarray. ANOVA was used to test 32 planned contrasts in the data, revealing the relative impact of different factors. The brain region from which tissue was taken had the greatest influence on gene expression profile, affecting the majority of signals measured by 18,848 cDNA spots on the microarray. Social and environmental manipulations had a highly variable impact, interpreted here as a manifestation of paradoxical "constitutive plasticity" (fewer inducible genes) during periods of enhanced behavioral responsiveness. Several specific genes were identified that may be important in the evolution of linkages between environmental signals and behavior. The data were also analyzed using weighted gene coexpression network analysis, followed by gene ontology analysis. This revealed modules of coexpressed genes that are also enriched for specific functional annotations, such as "ribosome" (expressed more highly in juvenile brain) and "dopamine metabolic process" (expressed more highly in striatal song control nucleus area X). These results underscore the complexity of influences on neural gene expression and provide a resource for studying how these influences are integrated during natural experience.
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The song of the zebra finch. Lab Anim (NY) 2012; 41:117. [DOI: 10.1038/laban0512-117] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
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Mello CV, Lovell PV. No small feat: microRNA responses during vocal communication in songbirds. BMC Biol 2011; 9:35. [PMID: 21627855 PMCID: PMC3104949 DOI: 10.1186/1741-7007-9-35] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/18/2011] [Accepted: 05/31/2011] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Simply hearing the song produced by another bird of the same species triggers the regulation of microRNAs (miRNAs) in high-order auditory parts of the zebra finch brain. Some of the identified miRNAs appear to be unique to birds, possibly to songbirds. These findings, reported in BMC Genomics, highlight the complexities of gene regulation associated with vocal communication and point to possible key regulators of song-triggered gene networks. See research article:http://www.biomedcentral.com/1471-2164/12/277
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Barnea A, Pravosudov V. Birds as a model to study adult neurogenesis: bridging evolutionary, comparative and neuroethological approaches. Eur J Neurosci 2011; 34:884-907. [PMID: 21929623 PMCID: PMC3177424 DOI: 10.1111/j.1460-9568.2011.07851.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 85] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
During the last few decades, evidence has demonstrated that adult neurogenesis is a well-preserved feature throughout the animal kingdom. In birds, ongoing neuronal addition occurs rather broadly, to a number of brain regions. This review describes adult avian neurogenesis and neuronal recruitment, discusses factors that regulate these processes, and touches upon the question of their genetic control. Several attributes make birds an extremely advantageous model to study neurogenesis. First, song learning exhibits seasonal variation that is associated with seasonal variation in neuronal turnover in some song control brain nuclei, which seems to be regulated via adult neurogenesis. Second, food-caching birds naturally use memory-dependent behavior in learning the locations of thousands of food caches scattered over their home ranges. In comparison with other birds, food-caching species have relatively enlarged hippocampi with more neurons and intense neurogenesis, which appears to be related to spatial learning. Finally, migratory behavior and naturally occurring social systems in birds also provide opportunities to investigate neurogenesis. This diversity of naturally occurring memory-based behaviors, combined with the fact that birds can be studied both in the wild and in the laboratory, make them ideal for investigation of neural processes underlying learning. This can be done by using various approaches, from evolutionary and comparative to neuroethological and molecular. Finally, we connect the avian arena to a broader view by providing a brief comparative and evolutionary overview of adult neurogenesis and by discussing the possible functional role of the new neurons. We conclude by indicating future directions and possible medical applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anat Barnea
- Department of Natural and Life Sciences, The Open University of Israel, PO Box 808, Ra'anana 43107, Israel.
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Suh A, Paus M, Kiefmann M, Churakov G, Franke FA, Brosius J, Kriegs JO, Schmitz J. Mesozoic retroposons reveal parrots as the closest living relatives of passerine birds. Nat Commun 2011; 2:443. [PMID: 21863010 PMCID: PMC3265382 DOI: 10.1038/ncomms1448] [Citation(s) in RCA: 120] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/08/2011] [Accepted: 07/21/2011] [Indexed: 12/03/2022] Open
Abstract
The relationships of passerines (such as the well-studied zebra finch) with non-passerine birds is one of the great enigmas of avian phylogenetic research, because decades of extensive morphological and molecular studies yielded highly inconsistent results between and within data sets. Here we show the first application of the virtually homoplasy-free retroposon insertions to this controversy. Our study examined ~200,000 retroposon-containing loci from various avian genomes and retrieved 51 markers resolving early bird phylogeny. Among these, we obtained statistically significant evidence that parrots are the closest and falcons the second-closest relatives of passerines, together constituting the Psittacopasserae and the Eufalconimorphae, respectively. Our new and robust phylogenetic framework has substantial implications for the interpretation of various conclusions drawn from passerines as model organisms. This includes insights of relevance to human neuroscience, as vocal learning (that is, birdsong) probably evolved in the psittacopasseran ancestor, >30 million years earlier than previously assumed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexander Suh
- Institute of Experimental Pathology (ZMBE), University of Münster, Von-Esmarch-Strasse 56, D-48149 Münster, Germany.
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Amaya KR, Sweedler JV, Clayton DF. Small molecule analysis and imaging of fatty acids in the zebra finch song system using time-of-flight-secondary ion mass spectrometry. J Neurochem 2011; 118:499-511. [PMID: 21496023 PMCID: PMC3137756 DOI: 10.1111/j.1471-4159.2011.07274.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
Fatty acids are central to brain metabolism and signaling, but their distributions within complex brain circuits have been difficult to study. Here we applied an emerging technique, time-of-flight secondary ion mass spectrometry (ToF-SIMS), to image specific fatty acids in a favorable model system for chemical analyses of brain circuits, the zebra finch (Taeniopygia guttata). The zebra finch, a songbird, produces complex learned vocalizations under the control of an interconnected set of discrete, dedicated brain nuclei 'song nuclei'. Using ToF-SIMS, the major song nuclei were visualized by virtue of differences in their content of essential and non-essential fatty acids. Essential fatty acids (arachidonic acid and docosahexaenoic acid) showed distinctive distributions across the song nuclei, and the 18-carbon fatty acids stearate and oleate discriminated the different core and shell subregions of the lateral magnocellular nucleus of the anterior nidopallium. Principal component analysis of the spectral data set provided further evidence of chemical distinctions between the song nuclei. By analyzing the robust nucleus of the arcopallium at three different ages during juvenile song learning, we obtain the first direct evidence of changes in lipid content that correlate with progression of song learning. The results demonstrate the value of ToF-SIMS to study lipids in a favorable model system for probing the function of lipids in brain organization, development and function.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kensey R Amaya
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois 61801, USA
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Elie JE, Soula HA, Mathevon N, Vignal C. Dynamics of communal vocalizations in a social songbird, the zebra finch (Taeniopygia guttata). THE JOURNAL OF THE ACOUSTICAL SOCIETY OF AMERICA 2011; 129:4037-4046. [PMID: 21682424 DOI: 10.1121/1.3570959] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/30/2023]
Abstract
Colonies or communities of animals such as fishes, frogs, seabirds, or marine mammals can be noisy. Although vocal communication between clearly identified sender(s) and receiver(s) has been well studied, the properties of the noisy sound that results from the acoustic network of a colony of gregarious animals have received less attention. The resulting sound could nonetheless convey some information about the emitting group. Using custom-written software for automatic detection of vocalizations occurring over many hours of recordings, this study reports acoustic features of communal vocal activities in a gregarious species, the zebra finch (Taeniopygia guttata). By biasing the sex ratio and using two different housing conditions (individual versus communal housing), six groups of zebra finches were generated, with six different social structures that varied both in terms of sex-composition and proportion of paired individuals. The results showed that the rate of emission and the acoustic dynamic both depended on the social structure. In particular, the vocal activity of a group of zebra finches depended mainly on the number of unpaired birds, i.e., individuals not part of a stably bonded pair.
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Affiliation(s)
- Julie E Elie
- Université de Saint-Etienne, Equipe de Neuro-Ethologie Sensorielle, Ecologie et Neuro-Ethologie Sensorielle/Centre de Neuroscience Paris-Sud Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique Unite Miste de Recherche 8195, 23 rue Michelon, 42023 Saint-Etienne Cedex 2, France
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Gunaratne PH, Lin YC, Benham AL, Drnevich J, Coarfa C, Tennakoon JB, Creighton CJ, Kim JH, Milosavljevic A, Watson M, Griffiths-Jones S, Clayton DF. Song exposure regulates known and novel microRNAs in the zebra finch auditory forebrain. BMC Genomics 2011; 12:277. [PMID: 21627805 PMCID: PMC3118218 DOI: 10.1186/1471-2164-12-277] [Citation(s) in RCA: 42] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/28/2010] [Accepted: 05/31/2011] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND In an important model for neuroscience, songbirds learn to discriminate songs they hear during tape-recorded playbacks, as demonstrated by song-specific habituation of both behavioral and neurogenomic responses in the auditory forebrain. We hypothesized that microRNAs (miRNAs or miRs) may participate in the changing pattern of gene expression induced by song exposure. To test this, we used massively parallel Illumina sequencing to analyse small RNAs from auditory forebrain of adult zebra finches exposed to tape-recorded birdsong or silence. RESULTS In the auditory forebrain, we identified 121 known miRNAs conserved in other vertebrates. We also identified 34 novel miRNAs that do not align to human or chicken genomes. Five conserved miRNAs showed significant and consistent changes in copy number after song exposure across three biological replications of the song-silence comparison, with two increasing (tgu-miR-25, tgu-miR-192) and three decreasing (tgu-miR-92, tgu-miR-124, tgu-miR-129-5p). We also detected a locus on the Z sex chromosome that produces three different novel miRNAs, with supporting evidence from Northern blot and TaqMan qPCR assays for differential expression in males and females and in response to song playbacks. One of these, tgu-miR-2954-3p, is predicted (by TargetScan) to regulate eight song-responsive mRNAs that all have functions in cellular proliferation and neuronal differentiation. CONCLUSIONS The experience of hearing another bird singing alters the profile of miRNAs in the auditory forebrain of zebra finches. The response involves both known conserved miRNAs and novel miRNAs described so far only in the zebra finch, including a novel sex-linked, song-responsive miRNA. These results indicate that miRNAs are likely to contribute to the unique behavioural biology of learned song communication in songbirds.
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Affiliation(s)
- Preethi H Gunaratne
- Department of Biology and Biochemistry, University of Houston, Houston, Texas 77204, USA
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Shepard KN, Liu RC. Experience restores innate female preference for male ultrasonic vocalizations. GENES BRAIN AND BEHAVIOR 2011; 10:28-34. [PMID: 20345895 DOI: 10.1111/j.1601-183x.2010.00580.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 44] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
Mouse models are increasingly contributing to our understanding of the neural genetics of sensory processing and memory. For example, strain differences have helped elucidate basic mechanisms of age-related hearing loss and auditory fear conditioning. Assessing sensory differences arising in acoustic communication contexts is also important for understanding natural audition. While this topic has not been well studied, it is currently being addressed through auditory neuroethological studies in the CBA/CaJ strain, where insights will help lay a foundation for future neural genetic studies. Here, we focus on the responses of adult females to ultrasonic vocalizations of males. We tested a group of female mice in a place-preference paradigm before and after auditory and olfactory experience with a male. A control group was housed with other female cagemates between trials. All females showed an initial preference for male calls that rapidly decayed over the course of a trial. However, only females that had been pair-housed with a male during the inter-trial interval displayed a reinstated interest in male vocalizations, suggesting possible group differences in the assessment of the calls' behavioral relevance. These findings provide a timeframe during which auditory processing of male ultrasounds might be expected to show a difference depending on behavioral relevance, and also suggest an importance of social interactions in maintaining call recognition.
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Affiliation(s)
- K N Shepard
- Neuroscience Program, Emory University, Atlanta, GA 30322, USA
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Selective loss of glycogen synthase kinase-3α in birds reveals distinct roles for GSK-3 isozymes in tau phosphorylation. FEBS Lett 2011; 585:1158-62. [PMID: 21419127 DOI: 10.1016/j.febslet.2011.03.025] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/08/2011] [Revised: 03/06/2011] [Accepted: 03/11/2011] [Indexed: 01/05/2023]
Abstract
Mammalian glycogen synthase kinase-3 (GSK-3), a critical regulator in neuronal signaling, cognition, and behavior, exists as two isozymes GSK-3α and GSK-3β. Their distinct biological functions remains largely unknown. Here, we examined the evolutionary significance of each of these isozymes. Surprisingly, we found that unlike other vertebrates that harbor both GSK-3 genes, the GSK-3α gene is missing in birds. GSK-3-mediated tau phosphorylation was significantly lower in adult bird brains than in mouse brains, a phenomenon that was reproduced in GSK-3α knockout mouse brains. Tau phosphorylation was detected in brains from bird embryos suggesting that GSK-3 isozymes play distinct roles in tau phosphorylation during development. Birds are natural GSK-3α knockout organisms and may serve as a novel model to study the distinct functions of GSK-3 isozymes.
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Olveczky BP, Gardner TJ. A bird's eye view of neural circuit formation. Curr Opin Neurobiol 2010; 21:124-31. [PMID: 20943369 DOI: 10.1016/j.conb.2010.08.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/01/2010] [Revised: 08/03/2010] [Accepted: 08/04/2010] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
Neural circuits underlying complex learned behaviors, such as speech in humans, develop under genetic constraints and in response to environmental influences. Little is known about the rules and mechanisms through which such circuits form. We argue that songbirds, with their discrete and well studied neural pathways underlying a complex and naturally learned behavior, provide a powerful model for addressing these questions. We briefly review current knowledge of how the song circuit develops during learning and discuss new possibilities for advancing the field given recent technological advances.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bence P Olveczky
- Harvard University, Department of Organismic and Evolutionary Biology and Center for Brain Science, 52 Oxford Street, Cambridge, MA 02138, USA.
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Elie JE, Mariette MM, Soula HA, Griffith SC, Mathevon N, Vignal C. Vocal communication at the nest between mates in wild zebra finches: a private vocal duet? Anim Behav 2010. [DOI: 10.1016/j.anbehav.2010.06.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 91] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
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Ekblom R, French L, Slate J, Burke T. Evolutionary analysis and expression profiling of zebra finch immune genes. Genome Biol Evol 2010; 2:781-90. [PMID: 20884724 PMCID: PMC2975445 DOI: 10.1093/gbe/evq061] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/11/2023] Open
Abstract
Genes of the immune system are generally considered to evolve rapidly due to host-parasite coevolution. They are therefore of great interest in evolutionary biology and molecular ecology. In this study, we manually annotated 144 avian immune genes from the zebra finch (Taeniopygia guttata) genome and conducted evolutionary analyses of these by comparing them with their orthologs in the chicken (Gallus gallus). Genes classified as immune receptors showed elevated d(N)/d(S) ratios compared with other classes of immune genes. Immune genes in general also appear to be evolving more rapidly than other genes, as inferred from a higher d(N)/d(S) ratio compared with the rest of the genome. Furthermore, ten genes (of 27) for which sequence data were available from at least three bird species showed evidence of positive selection acting on specific codons. From transcriptome data of eight different tissues, we found evidence for expression of 106 of the studied immune genes, with primary expression of most of these in bursa, blood, and spleen. These immune-related genes showed a more tissue-specific expression pattern than other genes in the zebra finch genome. Several of the avian immune genes investigated here provide strong candidates for in-depth studies of molecular adaptation in birds.
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Affiliation(s)
- Robert Ekblom
- University of Sheffield, Department of Animal and Plant Sciences, Sheffield, UK.
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37
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Nam K, Mugal C, Nabholz B, Schielzeth H, Wolf JBW, Backström N, Künstner A, Balakrishnan CN, Heger A, Ponting CP, Clayton DF, Ellegren H. Molecular evolution of genes in avian genomes. Genome Biol 2010; 11:R68. [PMID: 20573239 PMCID: PMC2911116 DOI: 10.1186/gb-2010-11-6-r68] [Citation(s) in RCA: 97] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/30/2010] [Revised: 06/18/2010] [Accepted: 06/23/2010] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Obtaining a draft genome sequence of the zebra finch (Taeniopygia guttata), the second bird genome to be sequenced, provides the necessary resource for whole-genome comparative analysis of gene sequence evolution in a non-mammalian vertebrate lineage. To analyze basic molecular evolutionary processes during avian evolution, and to contrast these with the situation in mammals, we aligned the protein-coding sequences of 8,384 1:1 orthologs of chicken, zebra finch, a lizard and three mammalian species. Results We found clear differences in the substitution rate at fourfold degenerate sites, being lowest in the ancestral bird lineage, intermediate in the chicken lineage and highest in the zebra finch lineage, possibly reflecting differences in generation time. We identified positively selected and/or rapidly evolving genes in avian lineages and found an over-representation of several functional classes, including anion transporter activity, calcium ion binding, cell adhesion and microtubule cytoskeleton. Conclusions Focusing specifically on genes of neurological interest and genes differentially expressed in the unique vocal control nuclei of the songbird brain, we find a number of positively selected genes, including synaptic receptors. We found no evidence that selection for beneficial alleles is more efficient in regions of high recombination; in fact, there was a weak yet significant negative correlation between ω and recombination rate, which is in the direction predicted by the Hill-Robertson effect if slightly deleterious mutations contribute to protein evolution. These findings set the stage for studies of functional genetics of avian genes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kiwoong Nam
- Department of Evolutionary Biology, Evolutionary Biology Centre, Uppsala University, Norbyvägen 18D, Uppsala, S-752 36, Sweden
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Xie F, London SE, Southey BR, Annangudi SP, Amare A, Rodriguez-Zas SL, Clayton DF, Sweedler JV. The zebra finch neuropeptidome: prediction, detection and expression. BMC Biol 2010; 8:28. [PMID: 20359331 PMCID: PMC2873334 DOI: 10.1186/1741-7007-8-28] [Citation(s) in RCA: 41] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/10/2010] [Accepted: 04/01/2010] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Among songbirds, the zebra finch (Taeniopygia guttata) is an excellent model system for investigating the neural mechanisms underlying complex behaviours such as vocal communication, learning and social interactions. Neuropeptides and peptide hormones are cell-to-cell signalling molecules known to mediate similar behaviours in other animals. However, in the zebra finch, this information is limited. With the newly-released zebra finch genome as a foundation, we combined bioinformatics, mass-spectrometry (MS)-enabled peptidomics and molecular techniques to identify the complete suite of neuropeptide prohormones and final peptide products and their distributions. Results Complementary bioinformatic resources were integrated to survey the zebra finch genome, identifying 70 putative prohormones. Ninety peptides derived from 24 predicted prohormones were characterized using several MS platforms; tandem MS confirmed a majority of the sequences. Most of the peptides described here were not known in the zebra finch or other avian species, although homologous prohormones exist in the chicken genome. Among the zebra finch peptides discovered were several unique vasoactive intestinal and adenylate cyclase activating polypeptide 1 peptides created by cleavage at sites previously unreported in mammalian prohormones. MS-based profiling of brain areas required for singing detected 13 peptides within one brain nucleus, HVC; in situ hybridization detected 13 of the 15 prohormone genes examined within at least one major song control nucleus. Expression mapping also identified prohormone messenger RNAs in areas associated with spatial learning and social behaviours. Based on the whole-genome analysis, 40 prohormone probes were found on a commonly used zebra finch brain microarray. Analysis of these newly annotated transcripts revealed that six prohormone probes showed altered expression after birds heard song playbacks in a paradigm of song recognition learning; we partially verify this result experimentally. Conclusions The zebra finch peptidome and prohormone complement is now characterized. Based on previous microarray results on zebra finch vocal learning and synaptic plasticity, a number of these prohormones show significant changes during learning. Interestingly, most mammalian prohormones have counterparts in the zebra finch, demonstrating that this songbird uses similar biochemical pathways for neurotransmission and hormonal regulation. These findings enhance investigation into neuropeptide-mediated mechanisms of brain function, learning and behaviour in this model.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fang Xie
- Department of Chemistry, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL 61801 USA
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Ekblom R, Balakrishnan CN, Burke T, Slate J. Digital gene expression analysis of the zebra finch genome. BMC Genomics 2010; 11:219. [PMID: 20359325 PMCID: PMC2996964 DOI: 10.1186/1471-2164-11-219] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/09/2009] [Accepted: 04/01/2010] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
Background In order to understand patterns of adaptation and molecular evolution it is important to quantify both variation in gene expression and nucleotide sequence divergence. Gene expression profiling in non-model organisms has recently been facilitated by the advent of massively parallel sequencing technology. Here we investigate tissue specific gene expression patterns in the zebra finch (Taeniopygia guttata) with special emphasis on the genes of the major histocompatibility complex (MHC). Results Almost 2 million 454-sequencing reads from cDNA of six different tissues were assembled and analysed. A total of 11,793 zebra finch transcripts were represented in this EST data, indicating a transcriptome coverage of about 65%. There was a positive correlation between the tissue specificity of gene expression and non-synonymous to synonymous nucleotide substitution ratio of genes, suggesting that genes with a specialised function are evolving at a higher rate (or with less constraint) than genes with a more general function. In line with this, there was also a negative correlation between overall expression levels and expression specificity of contigs. We found evidence for expression of 10 different genes related to the MHC. MHC genes showed relatively tissue specific expression levels and were in general primarily expressed in spleen. Several MHC genes, including MHC class I also showed expression in brain. Furthermore, for all genes with highest levels of expression in spleen there was an overrepresentation of several gene ontology terms related to immune function. Conclusions Our study highlights the usefulness of next-generation sequence data for quantifying gene expression in the genome as a whole as well as in specific candidate genes. Overall, the data show predicted patterns of gene expression profiles and molecular evolution in the zebra finch genome. Expression of MHC genes in particular, corresponds well with expression patterns in other vertebrates.
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Affiliation(s)
- Robert Ekblom
- Department of Animal and Plant Sciences, University of Sheffield, Alfred Denny Building, Western Bank, Sheffield S10 2TN, UK.
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Warren WC, Clayton DF, Ellegren H, Arnold AP, Hillier LW, Künstner A, Searle S, White S, Vilella AJ, Fairley S, Heger A, Kong L, Ponting CP, Jarvis ED, Mello CV, Minx P, Lovell P, Velho TAF, Ferris M, Balakrishnan CN, Sinha S, Blatti C, London SE, Li Y, Lin YC, George J, Sweedler J, Southey B, Gunaratne P, Watson M, Nam K, Backström N, Smeds L, Nabholz B, Itoh Y, Whitney O, Pfenning AR, Howard J, Völker M, Skinner BM, Griffin DK, Ye L, McLaren WM, Flicek P, Quesada V, Velasco G, Lopez-Otin C, Puente XS, Olender T, Lancet D, Smit AFA, Hubley R, Konkel MK, Walker JA, Batzer MA, Gu W, Pollock DD, Chen L, Cheng Z, Eichler EE, Stapley J, Slate J, Ekblom R, Birkhead T, Burke T, Burt D, Scharff C, Adam I, Richard H, Sultan M, Soldatov A, Lehrach H, Edwards SV, Yang SP, Li X, Graves T, Fulton L, Nelson J, Chinwalla A, Hou S, Mardis ER, Wilson RK. The genome of a songbird. Nature 2010; 464:757-62. [PMID: 20360741 PMCID: PMC3187626 DOI: 10.1038/nature08819] [Citation(s) in RCA: 614] [Impact Index Per Article: 43.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/30/2009] [Accepted: 01/06/2010] [Indexed: 01/16/2023]
Abstract
The zebra finch is an important model organism in several fields with unique relevance to human neuroscience. Like other songbirds, the zebra finch communicates through learned vocalizations, an ability otherwise documented only in humans and a few other animals and lacking in the chicken-the only bird with a sequenced genome until now. Here we present a structural, functional and comparative analysis of the genome sequence of the zebra finch (Taeniopygia guttata), which is a songbird belonging to the large avian order Passeriformes. We find that the overall structures of the genomes are similar in zebra finch and chicken, but they differ in many intrachromosomal rearrangements, lineage-specific gene family expansions, the number of long-terminal-repeat-based retrotransposons, and mechanisms of sex chromosome dosage compensation. We show that song behaviour engages gene regulatory networks in the zebra finch brain, altering the expression of long non-coding RNAs, microRNAs, transcription factors and their targets. We also show evidence for rapid molecular evolution in the songbird lineage of genes that are regulated during song experience. These results indicate an active involvement of the genome in neural processes underlying vocal communication and identify potential genetic substrates for the evolution and regulation of this behaviour.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wesley C Warren
- The Genome Center, Washington University School of Medicine, Campus Box 8501, 4444 Forest Park Avenue, St Louis, Missouri 63108, USA.
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Kong L, Lovell PV, Heger A, Mello CV, Ponting CP. Accelerated evolution of PAK3- and PIM1-like kinase gene families in the zebra finch, Taeniopygia guttata. Mol Biol Evol 2010; 27:1923-34. [PMID: 20237222 DOI: 10.1093/molbev/msq080] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/31/2023] Open
Abstract
Genes encoding protein kinases tend to evolve slowly over evolutionary time, and only rarely do they appear as recent duplications in sequenced vertebrate genomes. Consequently, it was a surprise to find two families of kinase genes that have greatly and recently expanded in the zebra finch (Taeniopygia guttata) lineage. In contrast to other amniotic genomes (including chicken) that harbor only single copies of p21-activated serine/threonine kinase 3 (PAK3) and proviral integration site 1 (PIM1) genes, the zebra finch genome appeared at first to additionally contain 67 PAK3-like (PAK3L) and 51 PIM1-like (PIM1L) protein kinase genes. An exhaustive analysis of these gene models, however, revealed most to be incomplete, owing to the absence of terminal exons. After reprediction, 31 PAK3L genes and 10 PIM1L genes remain, and all but three are predicted, from the retention of functional sites and open reading frames, to be enzymatically active. PAK3L, but not PIM1L, gene sequences show evidence of recurrent episodes of positive selection, concentrated within structures spatially adjacent to N- and C-terminal protein regions that have been discarded from zebra finch PAK3L genes. At least seven zebra finch PAK3L genes were observed to be expressed in testis, whereas two sequences were found transcribed in the brain, one broadly including the song nuclei and the other in the ventricular zone and in cells resembling Bergmann's glia in the cerebellar Purkinje cell layer. Two PIM1L sequences were also observed to be expressed with broad distributions in the zebra finch brain, one in both the ventricular zone and the cerebellum and apparently associated with glial cells and the other showing neuronal cell expression and marked enrichment in midbrain/thalamic nuclei. These expression patterns do not correlate with zebra finch-specific features such as vocal learning. Nevertheless, our results show how ancient and conserved intracellular signaling molecules can be co-opted, following duplication, thereby resulting in lineage-specific functions, presumably affecting the zebra finch testis and brain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lesheng Kong
- Medical Research Council Functional Genomics Unit, Department of Physiology, Anatomy and Genetics, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
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