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Whittle RH, Kiarie EG, Ma DWL, Widowski TM. Feeding flaxseed to chicken hens changes the size and fatty acid composition of their chicks' brains. Front Physiol 2024; 15:1400611. [PMID: 38911324 PMCID: PMC11190958 DOI: 10.3389/fphys.2024.1400611] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/13/2024] [Accepted: 05/16/2024] [Indexed: 06/25/2024] Open
Abstract
Diets fed to commercial chicken breeders are high in n-6 fatty acids (n-6 FAs) and low in n-3 fatty acids (n-3 FAs). N-3 FAs are essential for embryonic brain development. In precocial birds, like chickens, brain development and brain n-3 FA accrual occur primarily before hatching. In two experiments, broiler and layer breeders were fed diets with or without flaxseed as the source of n-3 FAs from plant-based alpha-linolenic acid. Day-old broiler (n = 80) and layer (n = 96) offspring were dissected to calculate the percentage brain-to-body weight. Brain FA analyses from total lipid extracts were determined in the broiler (n = 24) and layer (n = 24) offspring brains, and the percentage FA composition and concentration (µg FAs per g brain) were calculated for each n-3 and n-6 FA. The brain size was only increased in broiler offspring from mothers fed flaxseed (χ2 = 9.22, p = 0.002). In layer offspring only, the maternal flaxseed diet increased the brain concentration and percentage of n-3 FAs and decreased n-6 FAs (p < 0.05). We showed that feeding flaxseed to mothers increased the brain size in broiler offspring and altered brain FA composition in layer offspring. These results may have implications for poultry and other captive bird species fed diets low in n-3 FAs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rosemary H. Whittle
- Department of Animal Biosciences, University of Guelph, Guelph, ON, Canada
- Campbell Centre for the Study of Animal Welfare, University of Guelph, Guelph, ON, Canada
| | - Elijah G. Kiarie
- Department of Animal Biosciences, University of Guelph, Guelph, ON, Canada
| | - David W. L. Ma
- Department of Human Health and Nutritional Sciences, University of Guelph, Guelph, ON, Canada
| | - Tina M. Widowski
- Department of Animal Biosciences, University of Guelph, Guelph, ON, Canada
- Campbell Centre for the Study of Animal Welfare, University of Guelph, Guelph, ON, Canada
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2
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Racicot KJ, Ham JR, Augustine JK, Henriksen R, Wright D, Iwaniuk AN. A Comparison of Telencephalon Composition among Chickens, Junglefowl, and Wild Galliforms. BRAIN, BEHAVIOR AND EVOLUTION 2024; 99:13-24. [PMID: 38368854 DOI: 10.1159/000537844] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/18/2023] [Accepted: 02/08/2024] [Indexed: 02/20/2024]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Domestication is the process of modifying animals for human benefit through selective breeding in captivity. One of the traits that often diverges is the size of the brain and its constituent regions; almost all domesticated species have relatively smaller brains and brain regions than their wild ancestors. Although the effects of domestication on the brain have been investigated across a range of both mammal and bird species, almost nothing is known about the neuroanatomical effects of domestication on the world's most common bird: the chicken (Gallus gallus). METHODS We compared the quantitative neuroanatomy of the telencephalon of white leghorn chickens with red junglefowl, their wild counterpart, and several wild galliform species. We focused specifically on the telencephalon because telencephalic regions typically exhibit the biggest differences in size in domesticate-wild comparisons. RESULTS Relative telencephalon size was larger in chickens than in junglefowl and ruffed grouse (Bonasa umbellus). The relative size of telencephalic regions did not differ between chickens and junglefowl, but did differ in comparison with ruffed grouse. Ruffed grouse had larger hyperpallia and smaller entopallial, nidopallial, and striatal volumes than chickens and junglefowl. Multivariate analyses that included an additional three wild grouse species corroborated these findings: chicken and junglefowl have relatively larger nidopallial and striatal volumes than grouse. Conversely, the mesopallial and hyperpallial volumes tended to be relatively smaller in chickens and junglefowl. CONCLUSION From this suite of comparisons, we conclude that chickens do not follow a pattern of widespread decreases in telencephalic region sizes that is often viewed as typical of domestication. Instead, chickens have undergone a mosaic of changes with some regions increasing and others decreasing in size, and there are few differences between chickens and junglefowl.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kelsey J Racicot
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Lethbridge, Lethbridge, Alberta, Canada
| | - Jackson R Ham
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Lethbridge, Lethbridge, Alberta, Canada
| | - Jacqueline K Augustine
- Department of Evolution, Ecology, and Organismal Biology, The Ohio State University at Lima, Lima, Ohio, USA
| | - Rie Henriksen
- AVIAN Behavioural Genomics and Physiology Group, IFM Biology, Linköping University, Linkoping, Sweden
| | - Dominic Wright
- AVIAN Behavioural Genomics and Physiology Group, IFM Biology, Linköping University, Linkoping, Sweden
| | - Andrew N Iwaniuk
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Lethbridge, Lethbridge, Alberta, Canada
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3
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Oscarsson R, Jensen P. Potential domestication and tameness effects on prosocial behaviour in chickens. PLoS One 2023; 18:e0287213. [PMID: 37352138 PMCID: PMC10289331 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0287213] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/28/2023] [Accepted: 05/31/2023] [Indexed: 06/25/2023] Open
Abstract
Prosocial behaviour is pronounced in humans and prevalent in some non-human animals, however, the occurrence of the trait in chickens has not yet been investigated. Here, we studied the occurrence of prosociality in four different lines of adult female chickens. To explore the effects of domestication, chickens of the domesticated layer White Leghorn (WL) and the ancestral Red Junglefowl (RJF) were compared. Additionally, to explore the role of tameness, Red Junglefowl selected for high (RJF HF), or low (RJF LF) fear of humans were also studied. The hens were all tested in a prosocial choice task adapted from a previous study conducted on rats. Each individual was first trained to differentiate between a compartment where itself and a companion received food treats simultaneously (representing a prosocial choice), and one where only itself received the treat. Following training, each bird was tested in a free-choice set-up. No occurrence of prosociality was found at group level in any of the lines, however, our results suggest that the trait may occur in some individuals, and that domestication and increased tameness may have increased its prevalence, although alternative explanations such as side bias and social competition cannot be ruled out. Since this study is the first of its kind, further research is required to make any definite conclusions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rebecca Oscarsson
- IFM Biology, AVIAN Behaviour Genomics and Physiology Group, Linköping University, Linköping, Sweden
| | - Per Jensen
- IFM Biology, AVIAN Behaviour Genomics and Physiology Group, Linköping University, Linköping, Sweden
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4
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Weber GW. Quantum Leaps in Human Biocultural Evolution and the Relationship to Cranial Capacity. Life (Basel) 2023; 13:life13041030. [PMID: 37109559 PMCID: PMC10145355 DOI: 10.3390/life13041030] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/03/2023] [Revised: 03/22/2023] [Accepted: 04/13/2023] [Indexed: 04/29/2023] Open
Abstract
The evolution of the genus Homo can only be understood by considering both of the inheritance systems that interact to shape human nature: biology and culture. While growing intellectual abilities are a key factor of human evolution, they are rarely contrasted with cultural progress. Cranial capacity data of 193 hominin fossils from the last seven million years and artefacts of increasing number and complexity in the archaeological record are used to demonstrate the concordant progression of brain-size increase and cultural development, starting approximately two million years ago. Our biocultural evolution shows a number of quantum leaps along the time axis applying to both domains. At first, humans left the canonical evolutionary pathway, which pertains to all other organisms, by enhancing their fitness using sophisticated tools and fire; secondly, they turned into a symbolic species; and finally, humanity now faces a new challenge: "intentional evolution". Chronologically, these quantum leaps correspond to cranial capacity data used here as a proxy for cognitive performance. This contribution tries to demonstrate this parallel development and argues for a simple and generalized model of human biocultural evolution. An extrapolation of the model into the future shows that humans, as biological entities, will not necessarily persist.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gerhard W Weber
- Department of Evolutionary Anthropology, University of Vienna, 1030 Vienna, Austria
- Human Evolution and Archaeological Sciences (HEAS), University of Vienna, 1030 Vienna, Austria
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5
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Ferreira VHB, Guesdon V, Calandreau L, Jensen P. White Leghorn and Red Junglefowl female chicks use distal and local cues similarly, but differ in persistency behaviors, during a spatial orientation task. Behav Processes 2022; 200:104669. [DOI: 10.1016/j.beproc.2022.104669] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/04/2022] [Revised: 05/09/2022] [Accepted: 05/30/2022] [Indexed: 11/02/2022]
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6
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Zhu T, Liu M, Peng S, Zhang X, Chen Y, Lv X, Yang W, Li K, Zhang J, Wang H, Li H, Ning Z, Wang L, Qu L. A Deletion Upstream of SOX10 Causes Light Yellow Plumage Colour in Chicken. Genes (Basel) 2022; 13:327. [PMID: 35205371 PMCID: PMC8872211 DOI: 10.3390/genes13020327] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/07/2021] [Revised: 02/07/2022] [Accepted: 02/07/2022] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Chicken plumage colour is a complex trait controlled by many genes. Herein, through Rhode Island Red (RIR) and White Leghorn (WL) F1 cross populations, the segregation of plumage color was observed in females, showing white in males, and dark red (DR) and light yellow (LY) in females. The white has been found to be caused by dominant white alleles (I) and the DR phenotype is attributed to a sex-linked recessive silver allele (S∗S). LY is a derived feather colour phenotype and the genetic mechanism of this is unclear. In order to explore the genetic basis for LY, we randomly selected 40 DR and 39 LY chickens for paired-end sequencing. Through the use of association analysis, we found the LY phenotype is caused by a 7.6 kb non-coding deletion near the SOX10 gene. This mutation has been reported to be responsible for dark brown plumage in chicken, and subsequent diagnostic PCR tests showed that the length of the long-range non-coding deletion is 7.6 kb instead of 8.3 kb as previously reported.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tao Zhu
- National Engineering Laboratory for Animal Breeding, Department of Animal Genetics and Breeding, College of Animal Science and Technology, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100193, China; (T.Z.); (X.Z.); (Z.N.)
| | - Mengchao Liu
- Beijing Municipal Bureau of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Beijing 100005, China;
| | - Shan Peng
- Guiyang Municipal General Station of Animal Science, Guizhou 550081, China; (S.P.); (L.W.)
| | - Xinye Zhang
- National Engineering Laboratory for Animal Breeding, Department of Animal Genetics and Breeding, College of Animal Science and Technology, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100193, China; (T.Z.); (X.Z.); (Z.N.)
| | - Yu Chen
- Beijing Municipal General Station of Animal Science, Beijing 100107, China; (Y.C.); (X.L.); (W.Y.); (K.L.); (J.Z.)
| | - Xueze Lv
- Beijing Municipal General Station of Animal Science, Beijing 100107, China; (Y.C.); (X.L.); (W.Y.); (K.L.); (J.Z.)
| | - Weifang Yang
- Beijing Municipal General Station of Animal Science, Beijing 100107, China; (Y.C.); (X.L.); (W.Y.); (K.L.); (J.Z.)
| | - Kaiyang Li
- Beijing Municipal General Station of Animal Science, Beijing 100107, China; (Y.C.); (X.L.); (W.Y.); (K.L.); (J.Z.)
| | - Jianwei Zhang
- Beijing Municipal General Station of Animal Science, Beijing 100107, China; (Y.C.); (X.L.); (W.Y.); (K.L.); (J.Z.)
| | - Huie Wang
- College of Animal Science, Tarim University, Alar 843300, China;
| | - Haiying Li
- College of Animal Science, Xinjiang Agricultural University, Urumchi 830000, China;
| | - Zhonghua Ning
- National Engineering Laboratory for Animal Breeding, Department of Animal Genetics and Breeding, College of Animal Science and Technology, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100193, China; (T.Z.); (X.Z.); (Z.N.)
| | - Liang Wang
- Guiyang Municipal General Station of Animal Science, Guizhou 550081, China; (S.P.); (L.W.)
| | - Lujiang Qu
- National Engineering Laboratory for Animal Breeding, Department of Animal Genetics and Breeding, College of Animal Science and Technology, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100193, China; (T.Z.); (X.Z.); (Z.N.)
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Lesch R, Kitchener AC, Hantke G, Kotrschal K, Fitch WT. Cranial volume and palate length of cats, Felis spp., under domestication, hybridization and in wild populations. ROYAL SOCIETY OPEN SCIENCE 2022; 9:210477. [PMID: 35116138 PMCID: PMC8790375 DOI: 10.1098/rsos.210477] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/19/2021] [Accepted: 12/21/2021] [Indexed: 05/07/2023]
Abstract
Reduced brain size, compared with wild individuals, is argued to be a key characteristic of domesticated mammal species, and often cited as a key component of a putative 'domestication syndrome'. However, brain size comparisons are often based on old, inaccessible literature and in some cases drew comparisons between domestic animals and wild species that are no longer thought to represent the true progenitor species of the domestic species in question. Here we replicate studies on cranial volumes in domestic cats that were published in the 1960s and 1970s, comparing wildcats, domestic cats and their hybrids. Our data indicate that domestic cats indeed, have smaller cranial volumes (implying smaller brains) relative to both European wildcats (Felis silvestris) and the wild ancestors of domestic cats, the African wildcats (Felis lybica), verifying older results. We further found that hybrids of domestic cats and European wildcats have cranial volumes that cluster between those of the two parent species. Apart from replicating these studies, we also present new data on palate length in Felis cat skulls, showing that domestic cat palates are shorter than those of European wildcats but longer than those of African wildcats. Our data are relevant to current discussions of the causes and consequences of the 'domestication syndrome' in domesticated mammals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Raffaela Lesch
- Department of Behavioral and Cognitive Biology, Faculty of Life Sciences, University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
- Institute of Animal Welfare Science, University for Veterinary Medicine, Vienna, Austria
| | | | - Georg Hantke
- Department Natural Sciences, National Museums Scotland, Edinburgh, UK
| | - Kurt Kotrschal
- Department of Behavioral and Cognitive Biology, Faculty of Life Sciences, University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - W. Tecumseh Fitch
- Department of Behavioral and Cognitive Biology, Faculty of Life Sciences, University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
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8
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Gjøen J, Jensen P. Selection for Reduced Fear of Humans Changes Intra-Specific Social Behavior in Red Junglefowl—Implications for Chicken Domestication. Genes (Basel) 2021; 13:genes13010043. [PMID: 35052386 PMCID: PMC8774865 DOI: 10.3390/genes13010043] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/09/2021] [Revised: 12/20/2021] [Accepted: 12/21/2021] [Indexed: 12/03/2022] Open
Abstract
The domestic fowl has a different social behavior compared to their ancestor, the red junglefowl. To examine whether selection for tameness has affected their intra-specific social behavior, 32 red junglefowl from two selection lines, one selected for increased tameness and one selected for a high fear of humans for ten generations, were kept in a group of two females and two males each and were observed in a semi-natural undisturbed enclosure. Birds selected for a low fear of humans had more social conflict, and the males from this selection crowed more and were more often observed in low social proximity to others. The high-fear birds spent more time close together with the rest of the group and performed more social, non-aggressive pecking. These results are consistent with known differences between ancestral red junglefowl and domesticated laying hens. Our results show that intra-specific social behavior has been affected as a side-effect of selection for increased tameness. This may have interesting implications for the emergence of the domestication syndrome in chickens.
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9
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Puetz LC, Delmont TO, Aizpurua O, Guo C, Zhang G, Katajamaa R, Jensen P, Gilbert MTP. Gut Microbiota Linked with Reduced Fear of Humans in Red Junglefowl Has Implications for Early Domestication. ADVANCED GENETICS (HOBOKEN, N.J.) 2021; 2:2100018. [PMID: 36619855 PMCID: PMC9744516 DOI: 10.1002/ggn2.202100018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/06/2021] [Revised: 10/04/2021] [Indexed: 01/11/2023]
Abstract
Domestication of animals can lead to profound phenotypic modifications within short evolutionary time periods, and for many species behavioral selection is likely at the forefront of this process. Animal studies have strongly implicated that the gut microbiome plays a major role in host behavior and cognition through the microbiome-gut-brain axis. Consequently, herein, it is hypothesized that host gut microbiota may be one of the earliest phenotypes to change as wild animals were domesticated. Here, the gut microbiome community in two selected lines of red junglefowl that are selected for either high or low fear of humans up to eight generations is examined. Microbiota profiles reveal taxonomic differences in gut bacteria known to produce neuroactive compounds between the two selection lines. Gut-brain module analysis by means of genome-resolved metagenomics identifies enrichment in the microbial synthesis and degradation potential of metabolites associated with fear extinction and reduces anxiety-like behaviors in low fear fowls. In contrast, high fear fowls are enriched in gut-brain modules from the butyrate and glutamate pathways, metabolites associated with fear conditioning. Overall, the results identify differences in the composition and functional potential of the gut microbiota across selection lines that may provide insights into the mechanistic explanations of the domestication process.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lara C. Puetz
- Center for Evolutionary HologenomicsGLOBE InstituteUniversity of CopenhagenCopenhagen1353Denmark
| | - Tom O. Delmont
- Génomique MétaboliqueGenoscopeInstitut François JacobCEACNRSUniv EvryUniversité Paris‐SaclayEvry91057France
| | - Ostaizka Aizpurua
- Center for Evolutionary HologenomicsGLOBE InstituteUniversity of CopenhagenCopenhagen1353Denmark
| | - Chunxue Guo
- China National GeneBankBGI‐ShenzhenShenzhen518083China
| | - Guojie Zhang
- China National GeneBankBGI‐ShenzhenShenzhen518083China
- Villum Center for Biodiversity Genomics, Section for Ecology and Evolution, Department of BiologyUniversity of CopenhagenCopenhagen2100Denmark
- State Key Laboratory of Genetic Resources and EvolutionKunming Institute of ZoologyChinese Academy of SciencesKunming650223China
- Center for Excellence in Animal Evolution and GeneticsChinese Academy of SciencesKunming650223China
| | - Rebecca Katajamaa
- IFM Biology, AVIAN Behaviour Genomics and Physiology GroupLinköping UniversityLinköping58330Sweden
| | - Per Jensen
- IFM Biology, AVIAN Behaviour Genomics and Physiology GroupLinköping UniversityLinköping58330Sweden
| | - M. Thomas P. Gilbert
- Center for Evolutionary HologenomicsGLOBE InstituteUniversity of CopenhagenCopenhagen1353Denmark
- Department of Natural History, NTNU University MuseumNorwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU)Trondheim7491Norway
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10
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Chen S, Yan C, Xiao J, Liu W, Li Z, Liu H, Liu J, Zhang X, Ou M, Chen Z, Li W, Zhao X. Domestication and Feed Restriction Programming Organ Index, Dopamine, and Hippocampal Transcriptome Profile in Chickens. Front Vet Sci 2021; 8:701850. [PMID: 34604368 PMCID: PMC8481600 DOI: 10.3389/fvets.2021.701850] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/28/2021] [Accepted: 07/19/2021] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The domestication process exerts different phenotypic plasticity between slow- and fast-growing breeds of chicken. Feed restriction has a critical role in production performance, physiological plasticity, and stress response. Our study aimed to explore how feed restriction programed the organ index, dopamine, and hippocampal transcriptome profile between slow- and fast-growing chickens, which were fed either ad libitum (SA and FA), or feed restricted to 70% of ad libitum (SR and FR), for 30 days. Results showed that feed restriction influenced the brain organ index (P < 0.05), but not the organ index of the heart, liver, and spleen. The slow-growing breed tested had a higher brain organ index than the fast-growing breed (P < 0.05). Under feed restriction conditions, both the slow- and fast-growing breeds had significantly elevated dopamine concentrations (P < 0.05) compared to those fed ad libitum. In the GO term, upregulated genes in the FA group were enriched in the mitochondria, respiratory chain, and energy metabolism compared to the SA group (P < 0.05). Membranes and ribosomes were enriched in the cellular component between the SR and FR groups (P < 0.05). In the KEGG functional pathways, upregulated DEGs in the FR group were enriched in the cardiovascular disease category and neurodegenerative disease category compared to the FA group (P < 0.05). Downregulated DEGs in the FA group were enriched in the oxidative phosphorylation and neurodegenerative disease categories (Parkinson's disease and Huntington's disease) compared with the SA group (P < 0.05). Upregulated DEGs in the FR group were enriched in the cardiovascular disease category, neurodegenerative disease category, and energy metabolism than the SR group (P < 0.05). In conclusion, feed restriction had profound effects on the brain organ index and plasma dopamine in the slow- and fast-growing chickens. Feed restriction may result in issues relating to cardiovascular and neurodegenerative diseases in the fast-growing breed tested, but not in the slow-growing breed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Siyu Chen
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Animal Molecular Design and Precise Breeding, Key Laboratory of Animal Molecular Design and Precise Breeding of Guangdong Higher Education Institutes, School of Life Science and Engineering, Foshan University, Foshan, China.,Guizhou Nayong Professor Workstation, China Agricultural University, Bijie, China
| | - Chao Yan
- Guizhou Nayong Professor Workstation, China Agricultural University, Bijie, China.,College of Animal Science and Technology, China Agricultural University, Beijing, China
| | - Jinlong Xiao
- Guizhou Nayong Professor Workstation, China Agricultural University, Bijie, China.,College of Animal Science and Technology, China Agricultural University, Beijing, China
| | - Wen Liu
- College of Animal Science and Technology, China Agricultural University, Beijing, China
| | - Zhiwei Li
- College of Animal Science and Technology, China Agricultural University, Beijing, China
| | - Hao Liu
- College of Animal Science and Technology, China Agricultural University, Beijing, China
| | - Jian Liu
- Guizhou Nayong Professor Workstation, China Agricultural University, Bijie, China
| | - Xiben Zhang
- Guizhou Nayong Professor Workstation, China Agricultural University, Bijie, China
| | - Maojun Ou
- Guizhou Nayong Professor Workstation, China Agricultural University, Bijie, China
| | - Zelin Chen
- Guizhou Nayong Professor Workstation, China Agricultural University, Bijie, China
| | - Weibo Li
- Guizhou Nayong Professor Workstation, China Agricultural University, Bijie, China
| | - Xingbo Zhao
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Animal Molecular Design and Precise Breeding, Key Laboratory of Animal Molecular Design and Precise Breeding of Guangdong Higher Education Institutes, School of Life Science and Engineering, Foshan University, Foshan, China.,Guizhou Nayong Professor Workstation, China Agricultural University, Bijie, China.,College of Animal Science and Technology, China Agricultural University, Beijing, China
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11
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Cui Y, Liu ZL, Li CC, Wei XM, Lin YJ, You L, Zhu ZD, Deng HM, Feng QL, Huang YP, Xiang H. Role of juvenile hormone receptor Methoprene-tolerant 1 in silkworm larval brain development and domestication. Zool Res 2021; 42:637-649. [PMID: 34472225 PMCID: PMC8455460 DOI: 10.24272/j.issn.2095-8137.2021.126] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/07/2022] Open
Abstract
The insect brain is the central part of the neurosecretory system, which controls morphology, physiology, and behavior during the insect's lifecycle. Lepidoptera are holometabolous insects, and their brains develop during the larval period and metamorphosis into the adult form. As the only fully domesticated insect, the Lepidoptera silkworm Bombyx mori experienced changes in larval brain morphology and certain behaviors during the domestication process. Hormonal regulation in insects is a key factor in multiple processes. However, how juvenile hormone (JH) signals regulate brain development in Lepidoptera species, especially in the larval stage, remains elusive. We recently identified the JH receptor Methoprene tolerant 1 ( Met1) as a putative domestication gene. How artificial selection on Met1 impacts brain and behavioral domestication is another important issue addressing Darwin's theory on domestication. Here, CRISPR/Cas9-mediated knockout of Bombyx Met1 caused developmental retardation in the brain, unlike precocious pupation of the cuticle. At the whole transcriptome level, the ecdysteroid (20-hydroxyecdysone, 20E) signaling and downstream pathways were overactivated in the mutant cuticle but not in the brain. Pathways related to cell proliferation and specialization processes, such as extracellular matrix (ECM)-receptor interaction and tyrosine metabolism pathways, were suppressed in the brain. Molecular evolutionary analysis and in vitro assay identified an amino acid replacement located in a novel motif under positive selection in B. mori, which decreased transcriptional binding activity. The B. mori MET1 protein showed a changed structure and dynamic features, as well as a weakened co-expression gene network, compared with B. mandarina. Based on comparative transcriptomic analyses, we proposed a pathway downstream of JH signaling (i.e., tyrosine metabolism pathway) that likely contributed to silkworm larval brain development and domestication and highlighted the importance of the biogenic amine system in larval evolution during silkworm domestication.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yong Cui
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Insect Developmental Biology and Applied Technology, Guangzhou Key Laboratory of Insect Development Regulation and Application Research, Institute of Insect Science and Technology, School of Life Sciences, South China Normal University, Guangzhou, Guangdong 510631, China
| | - Zu-Lian Liu
- Key Laboratory of Insect Developmental and Evolutionary Biology, Institute of Plant Physiology and Ecology, Shanghai Institutes for Biological Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 200032, China
| | - Cen-Cen Li
- College of Life Sciences, Xinyang Normal University, Xinyang, Henan 464000, China
| | - Xiang-Min Wei
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Insect Developmental Biology and Applied Technology, Guangzhou Key Laboratory of Insect Development Regulation and Application Research, Institute of Insect Science and Technology, School of Life Sciences, South China Normal University, Guangzhou, Guangdong 510631, China
| | - Yong-Jian Lin
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Insect Developmental Biology and Applied Technology, Guangzhou Key Laboratory of Insect Development Regulation and Application Research, Institute of Insect Science and Technology, School of Life Sciences, South China Normal University, Guangzhou, Guangdong 510631, China
| | - Lang You
- Key Laboratory of Insect Developmental and Evolutionary Biology, Institute of Plant Physiology and Ecology, Shanghai Institutes for Biological Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 200032, China
| | - Zi-Dan Zhu
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Insect Developmental Biology and Applied Technology, Guangzhou Key Laboratory of Insect Development Regulation and Application Research, Institute of Insect Science and Technology, School of Life Sciences, South China Normal University, Guangzhou, Guangdong 510631, China
| | - Hui-Min Deng
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Insect Developmental Biology and Applied Technology, Guangzhou Key Laboratory of Insect Development Regulation and Application Research, Institute of Insect Science and Technology, School of Life Sciences, South China Normal University, Guangzhou, Guangdong 510631, China
| | - Qi-Li Feng
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Insect Developmental Biology and Applied Technology, Guangzhou Key Laboratory of Insect Development Regulation and Application Research, Institute of Insect Science and Technology, School of Life Sciences, South China Normal University, Guangzhou, Guangdong 510631, China. E-mail:
| | - Yong-Ping Huang
- Key Laboratory of Insect Developmental and Evolutionary Biology, Institute of Plant Physiology and Ecology, Shanghai Institutes for Biological Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 200032, China. E-mail:
| | - Hui Xiang
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Insect Developmental Biology and Applied Technology, Guangzhou Key Laboratory of Insect Development Regulation and Application Research, Institute of Insect Science and Technology, School of Life Sciences, South China Normal University, Guangzhou, Guangdong 510631, China. E-mail:
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12
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Mehlhorn J, Caspers S. The Effects of Domestication on the Brain and Behavior of the Chicken in the Light of Evolution. BRAIN, BEHAVIOR AND EVOLUTION 2021; 95:287-301. [PMID: 34044402 DOI: 10.1159/000516787] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/23/2020] [Accepted: 04/16/2021] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Abstract
The avian class is characterized by particularly strong variability in their domesticated species. With more than 250 breeds and highly efficient commercial lines, domestic chickens represent the outcome of a really long period of artificial selection. One characteristic of domestication is the alterations in brain size and brain composition. The influence of domestication on brain morphology has been reviewed in the past, but mostly with a focus on mammals. Studies on avian species have seldom been taken into account. In this review, we would like to give an overview about the changes and variations in (brain) morphology and behavior in the domestic chicken, taking into consideration the constraints of evolutionary theory and the sense or nonsense of excessive artificial selection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Julia Mehlhorn
- Institute for Anatomy I, Medical Faculty, Heinrich-Heine-University Düsseldorf, Düsseldorf, Germany
| | - Svenja Caspers
- Institute for Anatomy I, Medical Faculty, Heinrich-Heine-University Düsseldorf, Düsseldorf, Germany.,Institute of Neuroscience and Medicine (INM-1), Research Center Jülich, Jülich, Germany
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13
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Katajamaa R, Wright D, Henriksen R, Jensen P. Cerebellum size is related to fear memory and domestication of chickens. Biol Lett 2021; 17:20200790. [PMID: 33529547 DOI: 10.1098/rsbl.2020.0790] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Red Junglefowl (Gallus gallus) were selected for divergent levels of fear of humans during eight generations, causing the selection lines to differ in fear levels as well as in the proportional brain and cerebellum masses. Birds from the two lines were then crossed to obtain an F3 intercross in order to study the correlations between brain mass and fear learning. We exposed 105 F3-animals individually to a fear habituation and memory test at 8 days of age, where the reactions to repeated light flashes were assessed on 2 consecutive days. After culling, the absolute and relative sizes of each of four brain regions were measured. Stepwise regression was used to analyse the effects of the size of each brain region on habituation and memory. There were no effects of any brain region on the habituation on day one. However, birds with a larger absolute size of cerebellum had significantly reduced reactions to the fearful stimuli on day two, indicating a better memory of the stimuli. No other regions had significant effects. We conclude that increased cerebellum size may have been important in facilitating chicken domestication, allowing them to adapt to a life with humans.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Dominic Wright
- IFM-Biology, Linköping University, 581 83 Linköping, Sweden
| | - Rie Henriksen
- IFM-Biology, Linköping University, 581 83 Linköping, Sweden
| | - Per Jensen
- IFM-Biology, Linköping University, 581 83 Linköping, Sweden
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14
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Katajamaa R, Jensen P. Tameness correlates with domestication related traits in a Red Junglefowl intercross. GENES BRAIN AND BEHAVIOR 2020; 20:e12704. [PMID: 32969588 PMCID: PMC7988571 DOI: 10.1111/gbb.12704] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/23/2020] [Revised: 09/15/2020] [Accepted: 09/20/2020] [Indexed: 01/21/2023]
Abstract
Early animal domestication may have been driven by selection on tameness. Selection on only tameness can bring about correlated selection responses in other traits, not intentionally selected upon, which may be one cause of the domesticated phenotype. We predicted that genetically reduced fear towards humans in Red Junglefowl, ancestors of domesticated chickens, would be correlated to other traits included in the domesticated phenotype. Fear level was determined by a standardised behaviour test, where the reaction towards an approaching human was recorded. We first selected birds for eight generations for either high or low fear levels in this test, to create two divergent selection lines. An F3 intercross, with birds from the eighth generation as parentals, was generated to study correlations between fear‐of‐human scores and other unselected phenotypes, possibly caused by pleiotropy or linkage. Low fear‐of‐human scores were associated with higher body weight and growth rates, and with increased activity in an open field test, indicating less general fearfulness. In females, low fear‐of‐human scores were also associated with more efficient fear habituation and in males with an increased tendency to emit food calls in a mirror test, indicating increased social dominance. Low fear‐of‐human scores were also associated with smaller brain relative to body weight, and with larger cerebrum relative to total brain weight in females. All these effects are in line with the changes observed in domesticated chickens compared to their ancestors, and we conclude that tameness may have been a driving factor underlying some aspects of the domesticated phenotype.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Per Jensen
- IFM Biology, Linköping University, Linköping, Sweden
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15
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Chen S, Yan C, Xiang H, Xiao J, Liu J, Zhang H, Wang J, Liu H, Zhang X, Ou M, Chen Z, Li W, Turner SP, Zhao X. Transcriptome changes underlie alterations in behavioral traits in different types of chicken. J Anim Sci 2020; 98:5841043. [PMID: 32432320 DOI: 10.1093/jas/skaa167] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/13/2019] [Accepted: 05/14/2020] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
In recent decades, artificial selection has contributed greatly to meeting the demands for animal meat, eggs, and milk. However, it has also resulted in changes in behavior, metabolic and digestive function, and alterations in tissue development, including the brain and skeleton. Our study aimed to profile the behavioral traits and transcriptome pattern of chickens (broilers, layers, and dual-purpose breeds) in response to artificial selection. Broilers spent less time gathered as a group in a novel arena (P < 0.01), suggesting reduced fearfulness in these birds. Broilers also showed a greater willingness to approach a model predator during a vigilance test but had a greater behavioral response when first exposed to the vocalization of the predator. Genes found to be upregulated and downregulated in previous work on chickens divergently selected for fear responses also showed consistent differences in expression between breeds in our study and indicated a reduction in fearfulness in broilers. Gene ACTB_G1 (actin) was differentially expressed between breeds and is a candidate gene involved with skeletal muscle growth and disease susceptibility in broilers. Furthermore, breed-specific alterations in the chicken domestic phenotype leading to differences in growth and egg production were associated with behavioral changes, which are probably underpinned by alterations in gene expression, gene ontology terms, and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes pathways. The results highlight the change in behavior and gene expression of the broiler strain relative to the layer and a dual-purpose native breed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Siyu Chen
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Animal Molecular Design and Precise Breeding, School of Life Science and Engineering, Foshan University, Foshan, China.,College of Animal Science and Technology, China Agricultural University, Beijing, China.,Guizhou Nayong Professor Workstation of China Agricultural University, Bijie, China
| | - Chao Yan
- College of Animal Science and Technology, China Agricultural University, Beijing, China.,Guizhou Nayong Professor Workstation of China Agricultural University, Bijie, China
| | - Hai Xiang
- College of Animal Science and Technology, China Agricultural University, Beijing, China.,Guizhou Nayong Professor Workstation of China Agricultural University, Bijie, China
| | - Jinlong Xiao
- College of Animal Science and Technology, China Agricultural University, Beijing, China
| | - Jian Liu
- Guizhou Nayong Professor Workstation of China Agricultural University, Bijie, China
| | - Hui Zhang
- College of Animal Science and Technology, China Agricultural University, Beijing, China
| | - Jikun Wang
- Key Laboratory of Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau Animal Genetic Resource Reservation and Utilization, Ministry of Education; Institute of Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau, Southwest University for Nationalities, Chengdu, China
| | - Hao Liu
- College of Animal Science and Technology, China Agricultural University, Beijing, China
| | - Xiben Zhang
- Guizhou Nayong Professor Workstation of China Agricultural University, Bijie, China
| | - Maojun Ou
- Guizhou Nayong Professor Workstation of China Agricultural University, Bijie, China
| | - Zelin Chen
- Guizhou Nayong Professor Workstation of China Agricultural University, Bijie, China
| | - Weibo Li
- Guizhou Nayong Professor Workstation of China Agricultural University, Bijie, China
| | - Simon P Turner
- Animal and Veterinary Sciences Department, Scotland's Rural College, Edinburgh, UK
| | - Xingbo Zhao
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Animal Molecular Design and Precise Breeding, School of Life Science and Engineering, Foshan University, Foshan, China.,College of Animal Science and Technology, China Agricultural University, Beijing, China.,Guizhou Nayong Professor Workstation of China Agricultural University, Bijie, China
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16
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Katajamaa R, Jensen P. Selection for reduced fear in red junglefowl changes brain composition and affects fear memory. ROYAL SOCIETY OPEN SCIENCE 2020; 7:200628. [PMID: 32968523 PMCID: PMC7481730 DOI: 10.1098/rsos.200628] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/16/2020] [Accepted: 08/05/2020] [Indexed: 05/15/2023]
Abstract
Brain size reduction is a common trait in domesticated species when compared to wild conspecifics. This reduction can happen through changes in individual brain regions as a response to selection on specific behaviours. We selected red junglefowl for 10 generations for diverging levels of fear towards humans and measured brain size and composition as well as habituation learning and conditioned place preference learning in young chicks. Brain size relative to body size as well as brainstem region size relative to whole brain size were significantly smaller in chicks selected for low fear of humans compared to chicks selected for high fear of humans. However, when including allometric effects in the model, these differences disappear but a tendency towards larger cerebra in low-fear chickens remains. Low-fear line chicks habituated more effectively to a fearful stimulus with prior experience of that same stimulus, whereas high-fear line chicks with previous experience of the stimulus had a response similar to naive chicks. The phenotypical changes are in line with previously described effects of domestication.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Per Jensen
- Author for correspondence: Per Jensen e-mail:
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17
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Lautz LS, Nebbia C, Hoeks S, Oldenkamp R, Hendriks AJ, Ragas AMJ, Dorne JLCM. An open source physiologically based kinetic model for the chicken (Gallus gallus domesticus): Calibration and validation for the prediction residues in tissues and eggs. ENVIRONMENT INTERNATIONAL 2020; 136:105488. [PMID: 31991240 DOI: 10.1016/j.envint.2020.105488] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/23/2019] [Revised: 01/10/2020] [Accepted: 01/11/2020] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
Xenobiotics from anthropogenic and natural origin enter animal feed and human food as regulated compounds, environmental contaminants or as part of components of the diet. After dietary exposure, a chemical is absorbed and distributed systematically to a range of organs and tissues, metabolised, and excreted. Physiologically based kinetic (PBK) models have been developed to estimate internal concentrations from external doses. In this study, a generic multi-compartment PBK model was developed for chicken. The PBK model was implemented for seven compounds (with log Kow range -1.37-6.2) to quantitatively link external dose and internal dose for risk assessment of chemicals. Global sensitivity analysis was performed for a hydrophilic and a lipophilic compound to identify the most sensitive parameters in the PBK model. Model predictions were compared to measured data according to dataset-specific exposure scenarios. Globally, 71% of the model predictions were within a 3-fold change of the measured data for chicken and only 7% of the PBK predictions were outside a 10-fold change. While most model input parameters still rely on in vivo experiments, in vitro data were also used as model input to predict internal concentration of the coccidiostat monensin. Future developments of generic PBK models in chicken and other species of relevance to animal health risk assessment are discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- L S Lautz
- Department of Environmental Science, Radboud University Nijmegen, Houtlaan 4, 6525 XZ Nijmegen, the Netherlands.
| | - C Nebbia
- Department of Veterinary Sciences, University of Torino, Largo P. Braccini 2, 10095 Grugliasco, Italy
| | - S Hoeks
- Department of Environmental Science, Radboud University Nijmegen, Houtlaan 4, 6525 XZ Nijmegen, the Netherlands
| | - R Oldenkamp
- Department of Environmental Science, Radboud University Nijmegen, Houtlaan 4, 6525 XZ Nijmegen, the Netherlands
| | - A J Hendriks
- Department of Environmental Science, Radboud University Nijmegen, Houtlaan 4, 6525 XZ Nijmegen, the Netherlands
| | - A M J Ragas
- Department of Environmental Science, Radboud University Nijmegen, Houtlaan 4, 6525 XZ Nijmegen, the Netherlands; Department of Science, Faculty of Management, Science &Technology, Open University, 6419 AT Heerlen, the Netherlands
| | - J L C M Dorne
- European Food Safety Authority, Via Carlo Magno 1A, 43126 Parma, Italy
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18
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Wrangham RW. Hypotheses for the Evolution of Reduced Reactive Aggression in the Context of Human Self-Domestication. Front Psychol 2019; 10:1914. [PMID: 31481917 PMCID: PMC6710405 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2019.01914] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/18/2019] [Accepted: 08/05/2019] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
Parallels in anatomy between humans and domesticated mammals suggest that for the last 300,000 years, Homo sapiens has experienced more intense selection against the propensity for reactive aggression than other species of Homo. Selection against reactive aggression, a process that can also be called self-domestication, would help explain various physiological, behavioral, and cognitive features of humans, including the unique system of egalitarian male hierarchy in mobile hunter-gatherers. Here I review nine leading proposals for the occurrence of self-domestication in H. sapiens. To account for the domestication syndrome, proposals must explain what led to a decline in fitness of highly aggressive males, and why the explanatory factor applies only to H. sapiens and not to other species of Homo. The proposed explanations invoke genetic group selection; group-structured culture selection (also known as cultural group selection); social selection by female mate choice; social selection by male partner choice; increased self-control; cooperative breeding; high population density; use of lethal weapons; and language-based conspiracy. Most of these proposals face difficulties in accounting for the origins and/or maintenance of reduced reactive aggression. I conclude that the evolution of language-based conspiracy, which is a form of collective intentionality, was the key factor initiating and maintaining self-domestication in H. sapiens, because it is the most convincing mechanism for explaining the selective pressure against individually powerful fighters. Sophisticated language enabled males of low fighting prowess to cooperatively plan the execution of physically aggressive and domineering alpha males. This system is known today as a leveling mechanism in small-scale societies. Group-structured culture selection possibly accelerated the process.
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Affiliation(s)
- Richard W Wrangham
- Department of Human Evolutionary Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, United States
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Abstract
BACKGROUND The Australian dingo continues to cause debate amongst Aboriginal people, pastoralists, scientists and the government in Australia. A lingering controversy is whether the dingo has been tamed and has now reverted to its ancestral wild state or whether its ancestors were domesticated and it now resides on the continent as a feral dog. The goal of this article is to place the discussion onto a theoretical framework, highlight what is currently known about dingo origins and taxonomy and then make a series of experimentally testable organismal, cellular and biochemical predictions that we propose can focus future research. DISCUSSION We consider a canid that has been unconsciously selected as a tamed animal and the endpoint of methodical or what we now call artificial selection as a domesticated animal. We consider wild animals that were formerly tamed as untamed and those wild animals that were formerly domesticated as feralized. Untamed canids are predicted to be marked by a signature of unconscious selection whereas feral animals are hypothesized to be marked by signatures of both unconscious and artificial selection. First, we review the movement of dingo ancestors into Australia. We then discuss how differences between taming and domestication may influence the organismal traits of skull morphometrics, brain and size, seasonal breeding, and sociability. Finally, we consider cellular and molecular level traits including hypotheses concerning the phylogenetic position of dingoes, metabolic genes that appear to be under positive selection and the potential for micronutrient compensation by the gut microbiome. CONCLUSIONS Western Australian Government policy is currently being revised to allow the widespread killing of the Australian dingo. These policies are based on an incomplete understanding of the evolutionary history of the canid and assume the dingo is feralized. However, accumulated evidence does not definitively show that the dingo was ever domesticated and additional focused research is required. We suggest that incorporating ancient DNA data into the debate concerning dingo origins will be pivotal to understanding the evolutionary history of the canid. Further, we advocate that future morphological, behavioural and genetic studies should focus on including genetically pure Alpine and Desert dingoes and not dingo-dog hybrids. Finally, we propose that future studies critically examine genes under selection in the dingo and employ the genome from a wild canid for comparison.
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Affiliation(s)
- J. William O. Ballard
- School of Biotechnology and Biomolecular Science, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW 2052 Australia
| | - Laura A. B. Wilson
- School of Biological, Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW 2052 Australia
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20
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Katajamaa R, Larsson LH, Lundberg P, Sörensen I, Jensen P. Activity, social and sexual behaviour in Red Junglefowl selected for divergent levels of fear of humans. PLoS One 2018; 13:e0204303. [PMID: 30256834 PMCID: PMC6157887 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0204303] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/19/2017] [Accepted: 09/06/2018] [Indexed: 01/01/2023] Open
Abstract
The domesticated phenotype is a set of behavioural, morphological and physiological traits that is common for domesticated species. Previous research has found that selection for tameness only can give rise to correlated selection responses that resemble the domesticated phenotype. It has therefore been suggested that tameness may drive the domesticated phenotype as correlated traits. We selected Red Junglefowl for divergent levels of fear of human for eight generations and assessed possible correlated selection responses in other behaviours in semi-natural settings. Behavioural studies were carried out on birds from generations six to eight, and at different ages, in order to study possible effects on general activity, social behaviour and male courtship behaviour. We found that the differences between selection lines changed with age. Adult low fear birds were generally more active and high fear males showed a more intense courtship behaviour. Our study shows that several behaviours can be modified through correlated selection responses by selection on reduced fear of humans only, emphasising the putative role of tameness as a driver of domestication related phenotypes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rebecca Katajamaa
- AVIAN Behavioural Genomics and Physiology Group, IFM Biology, Linköping University, Linköping, Sweden
| | - Lovisa H. Larsson
- AVIAN Behavioural Genomics and Physiology Group, IFM Biology, Linköping University, Linköping, Sweden
| | - Paulina Lundberg
- AVIAN Behavioural Genomics and Physiology Group, IFM Biology, Linköping University, Linköping, Sweden
| | - Ida Sörensen
- AVIAN Behavioural Genomics and Physiology Group, IFM Biology, Linköping University, Linköping, Sweden
| | - Per Jensen
- AVIAN Behavioural Genomics and Physiology Group, IFM Biology, Linköping University, Linköping, Sweden
- * E-mail:
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21
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Is evolution of domestication driven by tameness? A selective review with focus on chickens. Appl Anim Behav Sci 2018. [DOI: 10.1016/j.applanim.2017.09.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/03/2023]
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