1
|
Alward BA, Balthazart J, Ball GF. Androgen signaling in LMAN regulates song stereotypy in male canaries. Horm Behav 2024; 165:105611. [PMID: 39089160 DOI: 10.1016/j.yhbeh.2024.105611] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/29/2024] [Revised: 06/15/2024] [Accepted: 07/22/2024] [Indexed: 08/03/2024]
Abstract
During breeding when testosterone concentrations are high, male songbirds that are open-ended vocal learners like canaries (Serinus canaria) tend to produce a stable, stereotyped song that facilitates mate attraction or territory defense. Outside breeding contexts, song becomes more variable. The neuroendocrine mechanisms controlling this vocal variability across seasons are not entirely clear. We tested whether androgen signaling within the lateral magnocellular nucleus of the anterior nidopallium (LMAN), a cortical-like brain region of the vocal control system known as a vocal variability generator, plays a role in seasonal vocal variability. We first characterized song in birds housed alone on a short day (SD) photoperiod, which simulates non-breeding conditions. Then, cannulae filled with the androgen receptor (AR) blocker flutamide or left empty as control were implanted bilaterally in LMAN. Birds were then transferred to long days (LD) to simulate the breeding season and song was analyzed again. Blocking AR in LMAN increased acoustic variability of song and the acoustic variability of syllables. However, blocking AR in LMAN did not impact the variability of syllable usage nor their sequencing in LD birds, song features that are controlled by androgen signaling in a somatosensory brain region of the vocal control system called HVC. These findings highlight the multifactorial, non-redundant actions of steroid hormones in controlling complex social behaviors such as birdsong. They also support the hypothesis that LMAN is a key brain area for the effects of testosterone on song plasticity both seasonally in adults and during the song crystallization process at sexual maturity.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Beau A Alward
- Department of Psychology, T.I.M.E.S, University of Houston, Houston, TX 77204, USA; Department of Biology and Biochemistry, University of Houston, Houston, TX 77004, USA; Department of Psychology, Neural and Cognitive Science Program, University of Maryland, College Park, MD 20742, USA
| | | | - Gregory F Ball
- Department of Psychology, Neural and Cognitive Science Program, University of Maryland, College Park, MD 20742, USA
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Smiley KO, Munley KM, Aghi K, Lipshutz SE, Patton TM, Pradhan DS, Solomon-Lane TK, Sun SED. Sex diversity in the 21st century: Concepts, frameworks, and approaches for the future of neuroendocrinology. Horm Behav 2024; 157:105445. [PMID: 37979209 PMCID: PMC10842816 DOI: 10.1016/j.yhbeh.2023.105445] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/04/2023] [Revised: 10/11/2023] [Accepted: 10/18/2023] [Indexed: 11/20/2023]
Abstract
Sex is ubiquitous and variable throughout the animal kingdom. Historically, scientists have used reductionist methodologies that rely on a priori sex categorizations, in which two discrete sexes are inextricably linked with gamete type. However, this binarized operationalization does not adequately reflect the diversity of sex observed in nature. This is due, in part, to the fact that sex exists across many levels of biological analysis, including genetic, molecular, cellular, morphological, behavioral, and population levels. Furthermore, the biological mechanisms governing sex are embedded in complex networks that dynamically interact with other systems. To produce the most accurate and scientifically rigorous work examining sex in neuroendocrinology and to capture the full range of sex variability and diversity present in animal systems, we must critically assess the frameworks, experimental designs, and analytical methods used in our research. In this perspective piece, we first propose a new conceptual framework to guide the integrative study of sex. Then, we provide practical guidance on research approaches for studying sex-associated variables, including factors to consider in study design, selection of model organisms, experimental methodologies, and statistical analyses. We invite fellow scientists to conscientiously apply these modernized approaches to advance our biological understanding of sex and to encourage academically and socially responsible outcomes of our work. By expanding our conceptual frameworks and methodological approaches to the study of sex, we will gain insight into the unique ways that sex exists across levels of biological organization to produce the vast array of variability and diversity observed in nature.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Kristina O Smiley
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, University of Massachusetts Amherst, 639 North Pleasant Street, Morrill IVN Neuroscience, Amherst, MA 01003, USA.
| | - Kathleen M Munley
- Department of Psychology, University of Houston, 3695 Cullen Boulevard, Houston, TX 77204, USA.
| | - Krisha Aghi
- Department of Integrative Biology and Physiology, University of California Los Angeles, 405 Hilgard Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA.
| | - Sara E Lipshutz
- Department of Biology, Duke University, 130 Science Drive, Durham, NC 27708, USA.
| | - Tessa M Patton
- Bioinformatics Program, Loyola University Chicago, 1032 West Sheridan Road, LSB 317, Chicago, IL 60660, USA.
| | - Devaleena S Pradhan
- Department of Biological Sciences, Idaho State University, 921 South 8th Avenue, Mail Stop 8007, Pocatello, ID 83209, USA.
| | - Tessa K Solomon-Lane
- Scripps, Pitzer, Claremont McKenna Colleges, 925 North Mills Avenue, Claremont, CA 91711, USA.
| | - Simón E D Sun
- Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, 1 Bungtown Road, Cold Spring Harbor, NY 11724, USA.
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Liao X, Tao B, Zhang X, Chen L, Chen J, Song Y, Hu W. Loss of gdnfa disrupts spermiogenesis and male courtship behavior in zebrafish. Mol Cell Endocrinol 2023; 576:112010. [PMID: 37419437 DOI: 10.1016/j.mce.2023.112010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/28/2023] [Revised: 06/19/2023] [Accepted: 07/04/2023] [Indexed: 07/09/2023]
Abstract
Spermatogenesis is essential for establishment and maintenance of reproduction in male vertebrates. Spermatogenesis, which is mainly regulated by the combined action of hormones, growth factors, and epigenetic factors, is highly conserved. Glial cell line-derived neurotrophic factor (GDNF) is a member of the transforming growth factor-β superfamily. In this study, global gdnfa knockout and Tg (gdnfa: mcherry) transgenic zebrafish lines were generated. Loss of gdnfa resulted in disorganized testes, decreased gonadosomatic index, and low percentage of mature spermatozoa. In the Tg (gdnfa: mcherry) zebrafish line, we found that gdnfa was expressed in Leydig cells. The mutation in gdnfa significantly decreased Leydig cell marker gene expression and androgen secretion in Leydig cells. In addition, courtship behavior was disrupted in the male mutants. We present in vivo data showing that global knockout of gdnfa disrupts spermiogenesis and male courtship behavior in zebrafish. The first viable vertebrate model with a global gdnfa knockout may be valuable for studying the role of GDNF in animal reproduction.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Xianyao Liao
- State Key Laboratory of Freshwater Ecology and Biotechnology, Institute of Hydrobiology, The Innovation Academy of Seed Design, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hubei Hongshan Laboratory, Wuhan, 430072, China; College of Life Sciences, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China
| | - Binbin Tao
- State Key Laboratory of Freshwater Ecology and Biotechnology, Institute of Hydrobiology, The Innovation Academy of Seed Design, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hubei Hongshan Laboratory, Wuhan, 430072, China.
| | - Xiya Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Freshwater Ecology and Biotechnology, Institute of Hydrobiology, The Innovation Academy of Seed Design, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hubei Hongshan Laboratory, Wuhan, 430072, China; College of Life Sciences, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China
| | - Lu Chen
- State Key Laboratory of Freshwater Ecology and Biotechnology, Institute of Hydrobiology, The Innovation Academy of Seed Design, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hubei Hongshan Laboratory, Wuhan, 430072, China; College of Life Sciences, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China
| | - Ji Chen
- State Key Laboratory of Freshwater Ecology and Biotechnology, Institute of Hydrobiology, The Innovation Academy of Seed Design, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hubei Hongshan Laboratory, Wuhan, 430072, China
| | - Yanlong Song
- State Key Laboratory of Freshwater Ecology and Biotechnology, Institute of Hydrobiology, The Innovation Academy of Seed Design, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hubei Hongshan Laboratory, Wuhan, 430072, China
| | - Wei Hu
- State Key Laboratory of Freshwater Ecology and Biotechnology, Institute of Hydrobiology, The Innovation Academy of Seed Design, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hubei Hongshan Laboratory, Wuhan, 430072, China; Guangdong Laboratory for Lingnan Modem Agriculture, China; Qingdao National Laboratory for Marine Science and Technology, Qingdao, 266237, China; College of Life Sciences, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China
| |
Collapse
|
4
|
Fuxjager MJ, Ryder TB, Moody NM, Alfonso C, Balakrishnan CN, Barske J, Bosholn M, Boyle WA, Braun EL, Chiver I, Dakin R, Day LB, Driver R, Fusani L, Horton BM, Kimball RT, Lipshutz S, Mello CV, Miller ET, Webster MS, Wirthlin M, Wollman R, Moore IT, Schlinger BA. Systems biology as a framework to understand the physiological and endocrine bases of behavior and its evolution-From concepts to a case study in birds. Horm Behav 2023; 151:105340. [PMID: 36933440 DOI: 10.1016/j.yhbeh.2023.105340] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/15/2022] [Revised: 02/10/2023] [Accepted: 02/21/2023] [Indexed: 03/18/2023]
Abstract
Organismal behavior, with its tremendous complexity and diversity, is generated by numerous physiological systems acting in coordination. Understanding how these systems evolve to support differences in behavior within and among species is a longstanding goal in biology that has captured the imagination of researchers who work on a multitude of taxa, including humans. Of particular importance are the physiological determinants of behavioral evolution, which are sometimes overlooked because we lack a robust conceptual framework to study mechanisms underlying adaptation and diversification of behavior. Here, we discuss a framework for such an analysis that applies a "systems view" to our understanding of behavioral control. This approach involves linking separate models that consider behavior and physiology as their own networks into a singular vertically integrated behavioral control system. In doing so, hormones commonly stand out as the links, or edges, among nodes within this system. To ground our discussion, we focus on studies of manakins (Pipridae), a family of Neotropical birds. These species have numerous physiological and endocrine specializations that support their elaborate reproductive displays. As a result, manakins provide a useful example to help imagine and visualize the way systems concepts can inform our appreciation of behavioral evolution. In particular, manakins help clarify how connectedness among physiological systems-which is maintained through endocrine signaling-potentiate and/or constrain the evolution of complex behavior to yield behavioral differences across taxa. Ultimately, we hope this review will continue to stimulate thought, discussion, and the emergence of research focused on integrated phenotypes in behavioral ecology and endocrinology.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Matthew J Fuxjager
- Department of Ecology, Evolution, and Organismal Biology, Brown University, Providence, RI 02906, USA.
| | - T Brandt Ryder
- Migratory Bird Center, Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute, National Zoological Park, Washington, DC 20013, USA
| | - Nicole M Moody
- Department of Ecology, Evolution, and Organismal Biology, Brown University, Providence, RI 02906, USA
| | - Camilo Alfonso
- Department of Biological Sciences, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA 24060, USA
| | | | - Julia Barske
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of California, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
| | - Mariane Bosholn
- Animal Behavior Lab, Ecology Department, National Institute for Amazon Research, Manaus, Amazonas, Brazil
| | - W Alice Boyle
- Division of Biology, Kansas State University, Manhattan, KS 66506, USA
| | - Edward L Braun
- Department of Biology, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32611, USA
| | - Ioana Chiver
- GIGA Neurosciences, University of Liège, Liege, Belgium
| | - Roslyn Dakin
- Migratory Bird Center, Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute, National Zoological Park, Washington, DC 20013, USA
| | - Lainy B Day
- Department of Biology, University of Mississippi, University, MS 38677, USA
| | - Robert Driver
- Department of Biology, East Carolina University, Greenville, NC 27858, USA
| | - Leonida Fusani
- Department of Behavioral and Cognitive Biology, University of Vienna, and Konrad Lorenz Institute of Ethology, University of Veterinary Medicine, Vienna
| | - Brent M Horton
- Department of Biology, Millersville University, Millersville, PA 17551, USA
| | - Rebecca T Kimball
- Department of Biology, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32611, USA
| | - Sara Lipshutz
- Department of Biology, Loyola University Chicago, Chicago, IL 60660, USA
| | - Claudio V Mello
- Department of Behavioral Neuroscience, Oregon Health and Science University, Portland, OR 97239, USA
| | | | - Michael S Webster
- Cornell Lab of Ornithology, Ithaca, NY 14853, USA; Department of Neurobiology and Behavior, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853, USA
| | - Morgan Wirthlin
- Computational Biology Department, Carnegie Melon University, Pittsburgh, PA 15213, USA
| | - Roy Wollman
- Department of Physiology and Integrative Biology, University of California, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
| | - Ignacio T Moore
- Department of Biological Sciences, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA 24060, USA
| | - Barney A Schlinger
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of California, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA; Department of Physiology and Integrative Biology, University of California, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA; Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute, Panama City, Panama.
| |
Collapse
|
5
|
Fuxjager MJ, Fusani L, Schlinger BA. Physiological innovation and the evolutionary elaboration of courtship behaviour. Anim Behav 2022. [DOI: 10.1016/j.anbehav.2021.03.017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
|
6
|
Anderson NK, Schuppe ER, Gururaja KV, Mangiamele LA, Martinez JCC, Priti H, May RV, Preininger D, Fuxjager MJ. A Common Endocrine Signature Marks the Convergent Evolution of an Elaborate Dance Display in Frogs. Am Nat 2021; 198:522-539. [PMID: 34559606 DOI: 10.1086/716213] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/03/2022]
Abstract
AbstractUnrelated species often evolve similar phenotypic solutions to the same environmental problem, a phenomenon known as convergent evolution. But how do these common traits arise? We address this question from a physiological perspective by assessing how convergence of an elaborate gestural display in frogs (foot-flagging) is linked to changes in the androgenic hormone systems that underlie it. We show that the emergence of this rare display in unrelated anuran taxa is marked by a robust increase in the expression of androgen receptor (AR) messenger RNA in the musculature that actuates leg and foot movements, but we find no evidence of changes in the abundance of AR expression in these frogs' central nervous systems. Meanwhile, the magnitude of the evolutionary change in muscular AR and its association with the origin of foot-flagging differ among clades, suggesting that these variables evolve together in a mosaic fashion. Finally, while gestural displays do differ between species, variation in the complexity of a foot-flagging routine does not predict differences in muscular AR. Altogether, these findings suggest that androgen-muscle interactions provide a conduit for convergence in sexual display behavior, potentially providing a path of least resistance for the evolution of motor performance.
Collapse
|
7
|
Alfonso C, Jones BC, Vernasco BJ, Moore IT. Integrative Studies of Sexual Selection in Manakins, a Clade of Charismatic Tropical Birds. Integr Comp Biol 2021; 61:1267-1280. [PMID: 34251421 DOI: 10.1093/icb/icab158] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/07/2021] [Revised: 05/07/2021] [Accepted: 07/07/2021] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
Abstract
The neotropical manakins (family Pipridae) provide a great opportunity for integrative studies of sexual selection as nearly all of the 51 species are lek-breeding, an extreme form of polygyny, and highly sexually dimorphic both in appearance and behavior. Male courtship displays are often elaborate and include auditory cues, both vocal and mechanical, as well as visual elements. In addition, the displays are often extremely rapid, highly acrobatic, and, in some species, multiple males perform coordinated displays that form the basis of long-term coalitions. Male manakins also exhibit unique neuroendocrine, physiological, and anatomical adaptations to support the performance of these complex displays and the maintenance of their intricate social systems. The Manakin Genomics Research Coordination Network (Manakin RCN, https://www.manakinsrcn.org) has brought together researchers (many in this symposium and this issue) from across disciplines to address the implications of sexual selection on evolution, ecology, behavior, and physiology in manakins. The objective of this paper is to present some of the most pertinent and integrative manakin research as well as introducing the papers presented in this issue. The results discussed at the manakin symposium, part of the 2021 Society for Integrative and Comparative Biology Conference, highlight the remarkable genomic, behavioral, and physiological adaptations as well as the evolutionary causes and consequences of strong sexual selection pressures that are evident in manakins.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Camilo Alfonso
- Department of Biological Sciences, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA 24061, USA
| | - Blake C Jones
- Science and Mathematics, Bennington College, 1 College Dr., Bennington, VT 05201, USA
| | - Ben J Vernasco
- School of Biological Sciences, Washington State University, Pullman, WA, USA
| | - Ignacio T Moore
- Department of Biological Sciences, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA 24061, USA
| |
Collapse
|
8
|
Schlinger BA, Chiver I. Behavioral Sex Differences and Hormonal Control in a Bird with an Elaborate Courtship Display. Integr Comp Biol 2021; 61:1319-1328. [PMID: 33885763 DOI: 10.1093/icb/icab033] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Gonadal hormones can activate performance of reproductive behavior in adult animals, but also organize sex-specific neural circuits developmentally. Few studies have examined the hormonal basis of sex differences in the performance of elaborate, physically complex and energetic male courtship displays. Here we describe our studies over more than 20 years examining sex difference and hormonal control of courtship in Golden-collared manakins (Manacus vitellinus) of Panamaian rainforests. Our recent studies of birds studied in an artificial "lek" in a rainforest aviary provide many new insights. Wild and captive males and females differ markedly in their performance of male-typical behaviors. Testosterone (T) treatment augments performance of virtually all of these behaviors in juvenile males with low levels of circulating T. By contrast, T-treatment of females (with low circulating T) either failed to activate some behaviors or activated male behaviors weakly or strongly. These results are discussed within a framework of our appreciation for hormonal vs genetic basis for sex differences in behavior with speculation about the neural mechanisms producing these patterns of hormonal activation.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Barney A Schlinger
- Department of Integrative Biology and Physiology, University of California, Los Angeles, CA 90095.,Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of California, Los Angeles, CA 90095.,Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute, Panama City, Panama
| | | |
Collapse
|
9
|
Tobiansky DJ, Fuxjager MJ. Sex Steroids as Regulators of Gestural Communication. Endocrinology 2020; 161:5822602. [PMID: 32307535 PMCID: PMC7316366 DOI: 10.1210/endocr/bqaa064] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/10/2020] [Accepted: 04/16/2020] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Gestural communication is ubiquitous throughout the animal kingdom, occurring in species that range from humans to arthropods. Individuals produce gestural signals when their nervous system triggers the production of limb and body movement, which in turn functions to help mediate communication between or among individuals. Like many stereotyped motor patterns, the probability of a gestural display in a given social context can be modulated by sex steroid hormones. Here, we review how steroid hormones mediate the neural mechanisms that underly gestural communication in humans and nonhumans alike. This is a growing area of research, and thus we explore how sex steroids mediate brain areas involved in language production, social behavior, and motor performance. We also examine the way that sex steroids can regulate behavioral output by acting in the periphery via skeletal muscle. Altogether, we outline a new avenue of behavioral endocrinology research that aims to uncover the hormonal basis for one of the most common modes of communication among animals on Earth.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Daniel J Tobiansky
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Brown University, Providence, Rhode Island
- Correspondence: Daniel J. Tobiansky, Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Brown University, Providence, RI 02912.
| | - Matthew J Fuxjager
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Brown University, Providence, Rhode Island
| |
Collapse
|
10
|
Tobiansky DJ, Miles MC, Goller F, Fuxjager MJ. Androgenic modulation of extraordinary muscle speed creates a performance trade-off with endurance. J Exp Biol 2020; 223:jeb222984. [PMID: 32291320 DOI: 10.1242/jeb.222984] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/04/2020] [Accepted: 04/04/2020] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
Abstract
Performance trade-offs can dramatically alter an organism's evolutionary trajectory by making certain phenotypic outcomes unattainable. Understanding how these trade-offs arise from an animal's design is therefore an important goal of biology. To explore this topic, we studied how androgenic hormones, which regulate skeletal muscle function, influence performance trade-offs relevant to different components of complex reproductive behaviour. We conducted this work in golden-collared manakins (Manacus vitellinus), a neotropical bird in which males court females by rapidly snapping their wings together above their back. Androgens help mediate this behavior by radically increasing the twitch speed of a dorsal wing muscle (scapulohumeralis caudalis, SH), which actuates the bird's wing-snap. Through hormone manipulations and in situ muscle recordings, we tested how these positive effects on SH speed influence trade-offs with endurance. Indeed, this latter trait impacts the display by shaping signal length. We found that androgen-dependent increases in SH speed incur a cost to endurance, particularly when this muscle performs at its functional limits. Moreover, when behavioural data were overlaid on our muscle recordings, displaying animals appeared to balance display speed with fatigue-induced muscle fusion (physiological tetanus) to generate the fastest possible signal while maintaining an appropriate signal duration. Our results point to androgen action as a functional trigger of trade-offs in sexual performance - these hormones enhance one element of a courtship display, but in doing so, impede another.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Daniel J Tobiansky
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Brown University, Providence, RI 02912, USA
| | - Meredith C Miles
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Brown University, Providence, RI 02912, USA
| | - Franz Goller
- Department of Biology, The University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT 84112, USA
- Institute for Zoophysiology, University of Münster, 48149 Münster, Germany
| | - Matthew J Fuxjager
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Brown University, Providence, RI 02912, USA
| |
Collapse
|
11
|
Pradhan DS, Ma C, Schlinger BA, Soma KK, Ramenofsky M. Preparing to migrate: expression of androgen signaling molecules and insulin-like growth factor-1 in skeletal muscles of Gambel's white-crowned sparrows. J Comp Physiol A Neuroethol Sens Neural Behav Physiol 2019; 205:113-123. [PMID: 30535830 DOI: 10.1007/s00359-018-1308-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/27/2018] [Revised: 10/24/2018] [Accepted: 11/28/2018] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Migratory birds, including Gambel's white-crowned sparrows (Zonotrichia leucophrys gambelii), exhibit profound modifications of skeletal muscles prior to migration, notably hypertrophy of the pectoralis muscle required for powered flight. Muscle growth may be influenced by anabolic effects of androgens; however, prior to spring departure, circulating androgens are low in sparrows. A seasonal increase in local androgen signaling may occur within muscle to promote remodeling. We measured morphological parameters, plasma and tissue levels of testosterone, as well as mRNA expression levels of androgen receptor, 5α-reductase (converts testosterone to 5α-dihydrotestosterone), and the androgen-dependent myotrophic factor insulin-like growth factor-1. We studied the pectoralis muscle as well as the gastrocnemius (leg) muscle of male sparrows across three stages on the wintering grounds: winter (February), pre-nuptial molt (March), and pre-departure (April). Testosterone levels were low, but detectable, in plasma and muscles at all three stages. Androgen receptor mRNA and 5α-reductase Type 1 mRNA increased at pre-departure, but did so in both muscles. Notably, mRNA levels of insulin-like growth factor-1, an androgen-dependent gene critical for muscle remodeling, increased at pre-departure in the pectoralis but decreased in the gastrocnemius. Taken together, these data suggest a site-specific molecular basis for muscle remodeling that may serve to enable long-distance flight.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Devaleena S Pradhan
- Department of Integrative Biology and Physiology, University of California, Los Angeles, USA.
- Laboratory for Neuroendocrinology, University of California, Los Angeles, USA.
- Department of Biological Sciences, Idaho State University, Pocatello, ID, 83209-8007, USA.
| | - Chunqi Ma
- Department of Psychology, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada
| | - Barney A Schlinger
- Department of Integrative Biology and Physiology, University of California, Los Angeles, USA
- Laboratory for Neuroendocrinology, University of California, Los Angeles, USA
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of California, Los Angeles, USA
| | - Kiran K Soma
- Department of Psychology, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada
- Djavad Mowafaghian Centre for Brain Health, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada
| | - Marilyn Ramenofsky
- Department of Neurobiology Physiology Behavior, University of California, Davis, USA
| |
Collapse
|
12
|
|
13
|
Barske J, Eghbali M, Kosarussavadi S, Choi E, Schlinger BA. The heart of an acrobatic bird. Comp Biochem Physiol A Mol Integr Physiol 2018; 228:9-17. [PMID: 30367962 DOI: 10.1016/j.cbpa.2018.10.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/10/2018] [Accepted: 10/11/2018] [Indexed: 10/28/2022]
Abstract
The courtship behavior of some species of birds can be energetically demanding, but it is unknown if cardiovascular specializations enable such behaviors. While performing a highly acrobatic courtship dance, heart rate in male golden-collared manakins increases briefly to 1300 beats per minute, among the highest heart rates recorded in any bird or mammal. We hypothesize that male manakins have enhanced cardiovascular capabilities to meet these demands on the heart. Using histological and molecular techniques, we examined manakin heart structure as well as expression of genes involved in Ca2+ handling, action potential duration, steroidal signaling and cardiac growth. These measures were also made on the hearts of zebra finches, a similar-sized bird with limited cardiovascular demands. Compared to the zebra finch, the manakin had a significantly thicker left ventricular (LV) muscle (cross-sectional thickness of the free LV wall and septum) with a smaller LV chamber. In addition, compared to zebra finches, manakin hearts had significantly greater gene expression of ryanodine receptors as well as androgen receptors. Testosterone (T) treatment of non-breeding manakins (with low T) increased gene expression of the Ca2+ pump SERCA. These observations suggest that hearts of breeding male manakins require specialized Ca2+ handling and androgens may facilitate manakin cardiovascular function.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- J Barske
- Departments of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Integrative Biology and Physiology, Laboratory of Neuroendocrinology, Brain Research Institute, University of California, Los Angeles, USA.
| | - M Eghbali
- Department of Anaesthesiology, Laboratory of Neuroendocrinology, University of California, Los Angeles, USA
| | - S Kosarussavadi
- Departments of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Integrative Biology and Physiology, Laboratory of Neuroendocrinology, Brain Research Institute, University of California, Los Angeles, USA
| | - E Choi
- Departments of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Integrative Biology and Physiology, Laboratory of Neuroendocrinology, Brain Research Institute, University of California, Los Angeles, USA
| | - B A Schlinger
- Departments of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Integrative Biology and Physiology, Laboratory of Neuroendocrinology, Brain Research Institute, University of California, Los Angeles, USA
| |
Collapse
|
14
|
Eaton J, Pradhan DS, Barske J, Fusani L, Canoine V, Schlinger BA. 3β-HSD expression in the CNS of a manakin and finch. Gen Comp Endocrinol 2018; 256:43-49. [PMID: 28935582 PMCID: PMC5742301 DOI: 10.1016/j.ygcen.2017.09.016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/23/2016] [Revised: 09/01/2017] [Accepted: 09/16/2017] [Indexed: 12/26/2022]
Abstract
The prohormone, dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) circulates in vertebrate blood with the potential for actions on target tissues including the central nervous system (CNS). Many actions of DHEA require its conversion into more active products, some of which are catalyzed by the enzyme 3β-hydroxysteroid-dehydrogenase/isomerase (3β-HSD). Studies of birds show both expression and activity of 3β-HSD in brain and its importance in regulating social behavior. In oscine songbirds, 3β-HSD is expressed at reasonably high levels in brain, possibly linked to their complex neural circuitry controlling song. Studies also indicate that circulating DHEA may serve as the substrate for neural 3β-HSD to produce active steroids that activate behavior during non-breeding seasons. In the golden-collared manakin (Manacus vitellinus), a sub-oscine bird, low levels of courtship behavior are displayed by males when circulating testosterone levels are basal. Therefore, we asked whether DHEA circulates in blood of manakins and whether the brain expresses 3β-HSD mRNA. Given that the spinal cord is a target of androgens and likely important in regulating acrobatic movements, we also examined expression of this enzyme in the manakin spinal cord. For comparison, we examined expression levels with those of an oscine songbird, the zebra finch (Taeniopygia guttata), a species in which brain, but not spinal cord, 3β-HSD has been well studied. DHEA was detected in manakin blood at levels similar to that seen in other species. As described previously, 3β-HSD was expressed in all zebra finch brain regions examined. By contrast, expression of 3β-HSD was only detected in the manakin hypothalamus where levels were greater than zebra finches. In spinal cord, 3β-HSD was detected in some but not all regions in both species. These data point to species differences and indicate that manakins have the substrate and neural machinery to convert circulating DHEA into potentially active androgens and/or estrogens.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Joy Eaton
- Department of Integrative Biology and Physiology, University of California, Los Angeles, United States
| | - Devaleena S Pradhan
- Department of Integrative Biology and Physiology, University of California, Los Angeles, United States; Laboratory for Neuroendocrinology, University of California, Los Angeles, United States.
| | - Julia Barske
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of California, Los Angeles, United States
| | - Leonida Fusani
- Department of Cognitive Biology, University of Vienna, Austria; Konrad Lorenz Institute of Ethology, University of Veterinary Medicine, Vienna, Austria
| | - Virginie Canoine
- Department of Behavioural Biology, University of Vienna, Austria
| | - Barney A Schlinger
- Department of Integrative Biology and Physiology, University of California, Los Angeles, United States; Laboratory for Neuroendocrinology, University of California, Los Angeles, United States; Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of California, Los Angeles, United States
| |
Collapse
|
15
|
Fuxjager MJ, Miles MC, Goller F, Petersen J, Yancey J. Androgens Support Male Acrobatic Courtship Behavior by Enhancing Muscle Speed and Easing the Severity of Its Tradeoff With Force. Endocrinology 2017; 158:4038-4046. [PMID: 28938418 DOI: 10.1210/en.2017-00599] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/29/2017] [Accepted: 08/23/2017] [Indexed: 01/08/2023]
Abstract
Steroid hormone action in the brain regulates many animals' elaborate social displays used for courtship and competition, but it is increasingly recognized that the periphery may also be a site for potent steroidal modulation of complex behavior. However, the mechanisms of such "bottom-up" regulation of behavioral outflow are largely unclear. To study this problem, we examined how androgenic sex hormones act through the skeletal muscular system to mediate elaborate courtship acrobatics in a tropical bird called the golden-collared manakin. As part of their display, males snap their wings together above their backs at rates that are at least 2× faster than the normal wing-beat frequency used for flight. This behavior, called the roll-snap, is actuated by repeatedly activating a humeral retractor muscle-the scapulohumeralis caudalis (SH)-which produces contraction-relaxation cycling speeds similar to the "superfast" muscles of other taxa. We report that endogenous androgenic activation of androgen receptor (AR) sustains this muscle's exceptionally rapid contractile kinetics, allowing the tissue to generate distinct wing movements at oscillation frequencies >100 Hz. We also show that these effects are rooted in an AR-dependent increase to contractile velocity, which incurs no detectable cost to force generation. Thus, AR enhances SH speed necessary for courtship display performance while avoiding the expected tradeoff with strength that could otherwise negatively influence aspects of flight. Peripheral AR therefore not only sets up the muscular system to perform a complex wing display, but does so in a way that balances the functional requirements of this muscle for other life-sustaining behavior.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Matthew J Fuxjager
- Department of Biology, Wake Forest University, Winston-Salem, North Carolina 27109
| | - Meredith C Miles
- Department of Biology, Wake Forest University, Winston-Salem, North Carolina 27109
| | - Franz Goller
- Department of Biology, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, Utah 84112
| | - John Petersen
- Department of Biology, Wake Forest University, Winston-Salem, North Carolina 27109
| | - Julia Yancey
- Department of Biology, Wake Forest University, Winston-Salem, North Carolina 27109
| |
Collapse
|
16
|
Fuxjager MJ, Fusani L, Goller F, Trost L, Maat AT, Gahr M, Chiver I, Ligon RM, Chew J, Schlinger BA. Neuromuscular mechanisms of an elaborate wing display in the golden-collared manakin ( Manacus vitellinus). ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2017; 220:4681-4688. [PMID: 29061685 DOI: 10.1242/jeb.167270] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/07/2017] [Accepted: 10/18/2017] [Indexed: 01/26/2023]
Abstract
Many species perform elaborate physical displays to court mates and compete with rivals, but the biomechanical mechanisms underlying such behavior are poorly understood. We address this issue by studying the neuromuscular origins of display behavior in a small tropical passerine bird, the golden-collared manakin (Manacus vitellinus). Males of this species court females by dancing around the forest floor and rapidly snapping their wings together above their back. Using radio-telemetry, we collected electromyographic (EMG) recordings from the three main muscles that control avian forelimb movement, and found how these different muscles are activated to generate various aspects of display behavior. The muscle that raises the wing (supracoracoideus, SC) and the primary muscle that retracts the wing (scapulohumeralis caudalis, SH) were activated during the wing-snap, whereas the pectoralis (PEC), the main wing depressor, was not. SC activation began before wing elevation commenced, with further activation occurring gradually. By contrast, SH activation was swift, starting soon after wing elevation and peaking shortly after the snap. The intensity of this SH activation was comparable to that which occurs during flapping, whereas the SC activation was much lower. Thus, light activation of the SC likely helps position the wings above the back, so that quick, robust SH activation can drive these appendages together to generate the firecracker-like snap sonation. This is one of the first looks at the neuromuscular mechanisms that underlie the actuation of a dynamic courtship display, and it demonstrates that even complex, whole-body display movements can be studied with transmitter-aided EMG techniques.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Matthew J Fuxjager
- Department of Biology, Wake Forest University, Winston-Salem, NC 27109, USA
| | - Leonida Fusani
- Konrad Lorenz Institute of Ethology, University of Veterinary Medicine, Vienna, Austria.,Department of Cognitive Biology, University of Vienna, 1160 Vienna, Austria
| | - Franz Goller
- Department of Biology, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT 84112, USA
| | - Lisa Trost
- Department of Behavioral Neurobiology, Max Planck Institute for Ornithology, Seewiesen, 82319, Germany
| | - Andries Ter Maat
- Department of Behavioral Neurobiology, Max Planck Institute for Ornithology, Seewiesen, 82319, Germany
| | - Manfred Gahr
- Department of Behavioral Neurobiology, Max Planck Institute for Ornithology, Seewiesen, 82319, Germany
| | - Ioana Chiver
- Department of Integrative Biology and Physiology, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
| | - R Miller Ligon
- Department of Biology, Wake Forest University, Winston-Salem, NC 27109, USA
| | - Jennifer Chew
- Department of Integrative Biology and Physiology, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
| | - Barney A Schlinger
- Department of Integrative Biology and Physiology, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA.,Department of Ecology and Evolution, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA.,Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute, Balboa, Ancón, Panama
| |
Collapse
|
17
|
Evolution of the androgen-induced male phenotype. J Comp Physiol A Neuroethol Sens Neural Behav Physiol 2017; 204:81-92. [DOI: 10.1007/s00359-017-1215-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/07/2017] [Revised: 09/11/2017] [Accepted: 09/14/2017] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
|
18
|
Insight into the neuroendocrine basis of signal evolution: a case study in foot-flagging frogs. J Comp Physiol A Neuroethol Sens Neural Behav Physiol 2017; 204:61-70. [DOI: 10.1007/s00359-017-1218-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/01/2017] [Revised: 09/25/2017] [Accepted: 09/26/2017] [Indexed: 01/15/2023]
|
19
|
Chiver I, Schlinger BA. Clearing up the court: sex and the endocrine basis of display-court manipulation. Anim Behav 2017. [DOI: 10.1016/j.anbehav.2017.07.014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/23/2023]
|
20
|
Schuppe ER, Pradhan DS, Thonkulpitak K, Drilling C, Black M, Grober MS. Sex differences in neuromuscular androgen receptor expression and sociosexual behavior in a sex changing fish. PLoS One 2017; 12:e0177711. [PMID: 28520775 PMCID: PMC5433761 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0177711] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/14/2016] [Accepted: 05/02/2017] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Androgen signaling, via receptor binding, is critical for regulating the physiological and morphological foundations of male-typical reproductive behavior in vertebrates. Muscles essential for male courtship behavior and copulation are highly sensitive to androgens. Differences in the distribution and density of the androgen receptor (AR) are important for maintaining dimorphic musculature and thus may provide for anatomical identification of sexually selected traits. In Lythrypnus dalli, a bi-directional hermaphroditic teleost fish, both sexes produce agonistic approach displays, but reproductive behavior is sexually dimorphic. The male-specific courtship behavior is characterized by rapid jerky movements (involving dorsal fin erection) towards a female or around their nest. Activation of the supracarinalis muscle is involved in dorsal fin contributions to both agonistic and sociosexual behavior in other fishes, suggesting that differences in goby sexual behavior may be reflected in sexual dimorphism in AR signaling in this muscle. We examined sex differences in the local distribution of AR in supracarinalis muscle and spinal cord. Our results demonstrate that males do express more AR in the supracarinalis muscle relative to females, but there was no sex difference in the number of spinal motoneurons expressing AR. Interestingly, AR expression in the supracarinalis muscle was also related to rates of sociosexual behavior in males, providing evidence that sexual selection may influence muscle androgenic sensitivity to enhance display vigor. Sex differences in the distribution and number of cells expressing AR in the supracarinalis muscle may underlie the expression of dimorphic behaviors in L. dalli.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Eric R. Schuppe
- Department of Biology, Georgia State University, Atlanta, Georgia, United States of America
- * E-mail:
| | - Devaleena S. Pradhan
- Department of Biology, Georgia State University, Atlanta, Georgia, United States of America
| | - Kevin Thonkulpitak
- Department of Biology, Georgia State University, Atlanta, Georgia, United States of America
| | - Cathleen Drilling
- Department of Biology, Georgia State University, Atlanta, Georgia, United States of America
| | - Michael Black
- Department of Biology, Georgia State University, Atlanta, Georgia, United States of America
- Neuroscience Institute, Georgia State University, Atlanta, Georgia
| | - Matthew S. Grober
- Department of Biology, Georgia State University, Atlanta, Georgia, United States of America
| |
Collapse
|
21
|
|
22
|
Day LB, Lindsay WR. Associations between Manakin Display Complexity and Both Body and Brain Size Challenge Assumptions of Allometric Correction: A Response to Gutierrez-Ibanez et al. (2016). BRAIN, BEHAVIOR AND EVOLUTION 2016; 87:227-31. [DOI: 10.1159/000446341] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
|
23
|
Fuxjager MJ, Schuppe ER, Hoang J, Chew J, Shah M, Schlinger BA. Expression of 5α- and 5β-reductase in spinal cord and muscle of birds with different courtship repertoires. Front Zool 2016; 13:25. [PMID: 27293470 PMCID: PMC4901407 DOI: 10.1186/s12983-016-0156-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/07/2016] [Accepted: 05/30/2016] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Through the actions of one or more isoforms of the enzyme 5α-reductase in many male reproductive tissues, circulating testosterone (T) undergoes metabolic conversion into 5α-dihydrotestosterone (DHT), which binds to and activates androgen receptors (AR) with greater potency than T. In birds, T is also subject to local inactivation into 5β-DHT by the enzyme 5β-reductase. Male golden-collared manakins perform an androgen-dependent and physically elaborate courtship display, and these birds express androgen receptors in skeletal muscles and spinal cord at levels far greater than those expressed in species with more limited courtship routines, including male zebra finches. To determine if local T metabolism facilitates or impedes activation of male manakin courtship, we examined expression of two isoforms of 5α-reductase, as well as 5β-reductase, in forelimb muscles and spinal cords of males and females of the two aforementioned species. Results We found that all enzymes were expressed in all tissues, with patterns that partially predict a functional role for 5α-reductase in these birds, especially in both muscle and spinal cord of male manakins. Moreover, we found that 5β-reductase was markedly different between species, with far lower levels in golden-collared manakins, compared to zebra finches. Thus, modification to neuromuscular deactivation of T may also play a functional role in adaptive behavioral modulation. Conclusions Given that such a role for 5α-reductase in androgen-sensitive mammalian skeletal muscle is in dispute, our data suggest that, in birds, local metabolism may play a key role in providing active androgenic substrates to peripheral neuromuscular systems. Similarly, we provide the first evidence that 5β-reductase is expressed broadly through an organism and may be an important factor that regulates androgenic modulation of neuromuscular functioning.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Matthew J Fuxjager
- Department of Biology, Wake Forest University, 228 Winston Hall, Winston-Salem, NC 27109 USA ; Center for Molecular Communication and Signaling, Wake Forest University, Winston-Salem, USA
| | - Eric R Schuppe
- Department of Biology, Wake Forest University, 228 Winston Hall, Winston-Salem, NC 27109 USA
| | - John Hoang
- Department of Integrative Biology and Physiology, University of California, Los Angeles, USA
| | - Jennifer Chew
- Department of Integrative Biology and Physiology, University of California, Los Angeles, USA
| | - Mital Shah
- Department of Integrative Biology and Physiology, University of California, Los Angeles, USA
| | - Barney A Schlinger
- Department of Integrative Biology and Physiology, University of California, Los Angeles, USA ; Laboratory of Neuroendocrinology, Brain Research Institute, University of California, Los Angeles, USA ; Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of California, Los Angeles, USA ; Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute, Balboa, Ancon, Republic of Panama
| |
Collapse
|
24
|
Mangiamele LA, Fuxjager MJ, Schuppe ER, Taylor RS, Hödl W, Preininger D. Increased androgenic sensitivity in the hind limb muscular system marks the evolution of a derived gestural display. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2016; 113:5664-9. [PMID: 27143723 PMCID: PMC4878525 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1603329113] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/18/2023] Open
Abstract
Physical gestures are prominent features of many species' multimodal displays, yet how evolution incorporates body and leg movements into animal signaling repertoires is unclear. Androgenic hormones modulate the production of reproductive signals and sexual motor skills in many vertebrates; therefore, one possibility is that selection for physical signals drives the evolution of androgenic sensitivity in select neuromotor pathways. We examined this issue in the Bornean rock frog (Staurois parvus, family: Ranidae). Males court females and compete with rivals by performing both vocalizations and hind limb gestural signals, called "foot flags." Foot flagging is a derived display that emerged in the ranids after vocal signaling. Here, we show that administration of testosterone (T) increases foot flagging behavior under seminatural conditions. Moreover, using quantitative PCR, we also find that adult male S. parvus maintain a unique androgenic phenotype, in which androgen receptor (AR) in the hind limb musculature is expressed at levels ∼10× greater than in two other anuran species, which do not produce foot flags (Rana pipiens and Xenopus laevis). Finally, because males of all three of these species solicit mates with calls, we accordingly detect no differences in AR expression in the vocal apparatus (larynx) among taxa. The results show that foot flagging is an androgen-dependent gestural signal, and its emergence is associated with increased androgenic sensitivity within the hind limb musculature. Selection for this novel gestural signal may therefore drive the evolution of increased AR expression in key muscles that control signal production to support adaptive motor performance.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Lisa A Mangiamele
- Department of Biological Sciences, Smith College, Northampton, MA 01063
| | | | - Eric R Schuppe
- Department of Biology, Wake Forest University, Winston-Salem, NC 27109
| | - Rebecca S Taylor
- Department of Biological Sciences, Smith College, Northampton, MA 01063
| | - Walter Hödl
- Department of Integrative Zoology, University of Vienna, A-1090 Vienna, Austria
| | - Doris Preininger
- Department of Integrative Zoology, University of Vienna, A-1090 Vienna, Austria; Vienna Zoo, A-1130 Vienna, Austria
| |
Collapse
|
25
|
Fuxjager MJ, Lee JH, Chan TM, Bahn JH, Chew JG, Xiao X, Schlinger BA. Research Resource: Hormones, Genes, and Athleticism: Effect of Androgens on the Avian Muscular Transcriptome. Mol Endocrinol 2016; 30:254-71. [PMID: 26745669 DOI: 10.1210/me.2015-1270] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Male vertebrate social displays vary from physically simple to complex, with the latter involving exquisite motor command of the body and appendages. Studies of these displays have, in turn, provided substantial insight into neuromotor mechanisms. The neotropical golden-collared manakin (Manacus vitellinus) has been used previously as a model to investigate intricate motor skills because adult males of this species perform an acrobatic and androgen-dependent courtship display. To support this behavior, these birds express elevated levels of androgen receptors (AR) in their skeletal muscles. Here we use RNA sequencing to explore how testosterone (T) modulates the muscular transcriptome to support male manakin courtship displays. In addition, we explore how androgens influence gene expression in the muscles of the zebra finch (Taenopygia guttata), a model passerine bird with a limited courtship display and minimal muscle AR. We identify androgen-dependent, muscle-specific gene regulation in both species. In addition, we identify manakin-specific effects that are linked to muscle use during the manakin display, including androgenic regulation of genes associated with muscle fiber contractility, cellular homeostasis, and energetic efficiency. Overall, our results point to numerous genes and gene networks impacted by androgens in male birds, including some that underlie optimal muscle function necessary for performing acrobatic display routines. Manakins are excellent models to explore gene regulation promoting athletic ability.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Matthew J Fuxjager
- Department of Biology (M.J.F.), Wake Forest University, Winston-Salem, North Carolina 27109; Department of Life and Nanopharmaceutical Sciences (J.-H.L.), and Department of Maxillofacial Biomedical Engineering (J.-H.L.), School of Dentistry, Kyung Hee University, Dongdaemun-gu, Seoul 130-701, Republic of Korea; Department of Integrative Biology and Physiology (M.J.F., J.-H.L., T.-M.C., J.H.B., J.G.C., X.X., B.A.S.) and Laboratory of Neuroendocrinology (M.J.F., B.A.S.), Brain Research Institute, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California 90095; and Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute (B.A.S.), 0843-03092 Balboa, Ancón, Panama
| | - Jae-Hyung Lee
- Department of Biology (M.J.F.), Wake Forest University, Winston-Salem, North Carolina 27109; Department of Life and Nanopharmaceutical Sciences (J.-H.L.), and Department of Maxillofacial Biomedical Engineering (J.-H.L.), School of Dentistry, Kyung Hee University, Dongdaemun-gu, Seoul 130-701, Republic of Korea; Department of Integrative Biology and Physiology (M.J.F., J.-H.L., T.-M.C., J.H.B., J.G.C., X.X., B.A.S.) and Laboratory of Neuroendocrinology (M.J.F., B.A.S.), Brain Research Institute, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California 90095; and Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute (B.A.S.), 0843-03092 Balboa, Ancón, Panama
| | - Tak-Ming Chan
- Department of Biology (M.J.F.), Wake Forest University, Winston-Salem, North Carolina 27109; Department of Life and Nanopharmaceutical Sciences (J.-H.L.), and Department of Maxillofacial Biomedical Engineering (J.-H.L.), School of Dentistry, Kyung Hee University, Dongdaemun-gu, Seoul 130-701, Republic of Korea; Department of Integrative Biology and Physiology (M.J.F., J.-H.L., T.-M.C., J.H.B., J.G.C., X.X., B.A.S.) and Laboratory of Neuroendocrinology (M.J.F., B.A.S.), Brain Research Institute, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California 90095; and Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute (B.A.S.), 0843-03092 Balboa, Ancón, Panama
| | - Jae Hoon Bahn
- Department of Biology (M.J.F.), Wake Forest University, Winston-Salem, North Carolina 27109; Department of Life and Nanopharmaceutical Sciences (J.-H.L.), and Department of Maxillofacial Biomedical Engineering (J.-H.L.), School of Dentistry, Kyung Hee University, Dongdaemun-gu, Seoul 130-701, Republic of Korea; Department of Integrative Biology and Physiology (M.J.F., J.-H.L., T.-M.C., J.H.B., J.G.C., X.X., B.A.S.) and Laboratory of Neuroendocrinology (M.J.F., B.A.S.), Brain Research Institute, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California 90095; and Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute (B.A.S.), 0843-03092 Balboa, Ancón, Panama
| | - Jenifer G Chew
- Department of Biology (M.J.F.), Wake Forest University, Winston-Salem, North Carolina 27109; Department of Life and Nanopharmaceutical Sciences (J.-H.L.), and Department of Maxillofacial Biomedical Engineering (J.-H.L.), School of Dentistry, Kyung Hee University, Dongdaemun-gu, Seoul 130-701, Republic of Korea; Department of Integrative Biology and Physiology (M.J.F., J.-H.L., T.-M.C., J.H.B., J.G.C., X.X., B.A.S.) and Laboratory of Neuroendocrinology (M.J.F., B.A.S.), Brain Research Institute, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California 90095; and Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute (B.A.S.), 0843-03092 Balboa, Ancón, Panama
| | - Xinshu Xiao
- Department of Biology (M.J.F.), Wake Forest University, Winston-Salem, North Carolina 27109; Department of Life and Nanopharmaceutical Sciences (J.-H.L.), and Department of Maxillofacial Biomedical Engineering (J.-H.L.), School of Dentistry, Kyung Hee University, Dongdaemun-gu, Seoul 130-701, Republic of Korea; Department of Integrative Biology and Physiology (M.J.F., J.-H.L., T.-M.C., J.H.B., J.G.C., X.X., B.A.S.) and Laboratory of Neuroendocrinology (M.J.F., B.A.S.), Brain Research Institute, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California 90095; and Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute (B.A.S.), 0843-03092 Balboa, Ancón, Panama
| | - Barney A Schlinger
- Department of Biology (M.J.F.), Wake Forest University, Winston-Salem, North Carolina 27109; Department of Life and Nanopharmaceutical Sciences (J.-H.L.), and Department of Maxillofacial Biomedical Engineering (J.-H.L.), School of Dentistry, Kyung Hee University, Dongdaemun-gu, Seoul 130-701, Republic of Korea; Department of Integrative Biology and Physiology (M.J.F., J.-H.L., T.-M.C., J.H.B., J.G.C., X.X., B.A.S.) and Laboratory of Neuroendocrinology (M.J.F., B.A.S.), Brain Research Institute, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California 90095; and Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute (B.A.S.), 0843-03092 Balboa, Ancón, Panama
| |
Collapse
|
26
|
Fuxjager MJ, Schlinger BA. Perspectives on the evolution of animal dancing: a case study of manakins. Curr Opin Behav Sci 2015. [DOI: 10.1016/j.cobeha.2015.06.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/01/2023]
|
27
|
Krilow JM, Iwaniuk AN. Seasonal Variation in Forebrain Region Sizes in Male Ruffed Grouse (Bonasa umbellus). BRAIN, BEHAVIOR AND EVOLUTION 2015; 85:189-202. [PMID: 25997574 DOI: 10.1159/000381277] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/22/2014] [Accepted: 02/26/2015] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Abstract
The song system of songbirds has provided significant insight into the underlying mechanisms and behavioural consequences of seasonal neuroplasticity. The extent to which seasonal changes in brain region volumes occur in non-songbird species has, however, remained largely untested. Here, we tested whether brain region volumes varied with season in the ruffed grouse (Bonasa umbellus), a gallinaceous bird that produces a unique wing-beating display known as 'drumming' as its primary form of courtship behaviour. Using unbiased stereology, we measured the sizes of the cerebellum, nucleus rotundus, telencephalon, mesopallium, hippocampal formation, striatopallidal complex and arcopallium across spring males, fall males and fall females. The majority of these brain regions did not vary significantly across these three groups. The two exceptions were the striatopallidal complex and arcopallium, both of which were significantly larger in spring males that are actively drumming. These seasonal changes in volume strongly implicate the striatopallidal complex and arcopallium as key structures in the production and/or modulation of the ruffed grouse drumming display and represent the first evidence of seasonal plasticity in the telencephalon underlying a non-vocal courtship behaviour. Our findings also suggest that seasonal plasticity in the striatopallidal complex and arcopallium might be a trait that is shared across many bird species and that both structures are related to the production of multiple forms of courtship and not just learned song.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Justin M Krilow
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Lethbridge, Lethbridge, Alta., Canada
| | | |
Collapse
|
28
|
Fuxjager MJ, Eaton J, Lindsay WR, Salwiczek LH, Rensel MA, Barske J, Sorenson L, Day LB, Schlinger BA. Evolutionary patterns of adaptive acrobatics and physical performance predict expression profiles of androgen receptor - but not oestrogen receptor - in the forelimb musculature. Funct Ecol 2015; 29:1197-1208. [PMID: 26538789 DOI: 10.1111/1365-2435.12438] [Citation(s) in RCA: 47] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
1. Superior physical competence is vital to the adaptive behavioral routines of many animals, particularly those that engage in elaborate socio-sexual displays. How such traits evolve across species remains unclear. 2. Recent work suggests that activation of sex steroid receptors in neuromuscular systems is necessary for the fine motor skills needed to execute physically elaborate displays. Thus, using passerine birds as models, we test whether interspecific variation in display complexity predicts species differences in the abundance of androgen and estrogen receptors (AR and ERα) expressed in the forelimb musculature and spinal cord. 3. We find that small-scale evolutionary patterns in physical display complexity positively predict expression of the AR in the main muscles that lift and retract the wings. No such relationship is detected in the spinal cord, and we do not find a correlation between display behavior and neuromuscular expression of ERα. Also, we find that AR expression levels in different androgen targets throughout the body - namely the wing muscles, spinal cord, and testes - are not necessarily correlated, providing evidence that evolutionary forces may drive AR expression in a tissue-specific manner. 4. These results suggest co-evolution between the physical prowess necessary for display performance and levels of AR expression in avian forelimb muscles. Moreover, this relationship appears to be specific to muscle and AR-mediated, but not ERα-mediated, signaling. 5. Given that prior work suggests that activation of muscular AR is a necessary component of physical display performance, our current data support the hypothesis that sexual selection shapes levels of AR expressed in the forelimb skeletal muscles to help drive the evolution of adaptive motor abilities.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Matthew J Fuxjager
- Department of Biology, Wake Forest University, 228 Winston Hall, Winston-Salem, NC 27109, USA ; Department of Integrative Biology and Physiology, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA ; Laboratory of Neuroendocrinology, Brain Research Institute, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
| | - Joy Eaton
- Department of Integrative Biology and Physiology, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
| | - Willow R Lindsay
- Department of Biology, University of Mississippi, University, MS 38677, USA
| | - Lucie H Salwiczek
- Department of Integrative Biology and Physiology, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA ; Department of Behavioral Neurobiology, Max Planck Institute for Ornithology, Seewiesen, Germany
| | - Michelle A Rensel
- Department of Integrative Biology and Physiology, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
| | - Julia Barske
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
| | - Laurie Sorenson
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
| | - Lainy B Day
- Department of Biology, University of Mississippi, University, MS 38677, USA
| | - Barney A Schlinger
- Department of Integrative Biology and Physiology, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA ; Laboratory of Neuroendocrinology, Brain Research Institute, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA ; Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA ; Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute, Apartado Postal 0843-03092, Balboa, Ancón, Panama
| |
Collapse
|
29
|
Gardner PP, Fasold M, Burge SW, Ninova M, Hertel J, Kehr S, Steeves TE, Griffiths-Jones S, Stadler PF. Conservation and losses of non-coding RNAs in avian genomes. PLoS One 2015; 10:e0121797. [PMID: 25822729 PMCID: PMC4378963 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0121797] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/03/2014] [Accepted: 02/03/2015] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Here we present the results of a large-scale bioinformatics annotation of non-coding RNA loci in 48 avian genomes. Our approach uses probabilistic models of hand-curated families from the Rfam database to infer conserved RNA families within each avian genome. We supplement these annotations with predictions from the tRNA annotation tool, tRNAscan-SE and microRNAs from miRBase. We identify 34 lncRNA-associated loci that are conserved between birds and mammals and validate 12 of these in chicken. We report several intriguing cases where a reported mammalian lncRNA, but not its function, is conserved. We also demonstrate extensive conservation of classical ncRNAs (e.g., tRNAs) and more recently discovered ncRNAs (e.g., snoRNAs and miRNAs) in birds. Furthermore, we describe numerous “losses” of several RNA families, and attribute these to either genuine loss, divergence or missing data. In particular, we show that many of these losses are due to the challenges associated with assembling avian microchromosomes. These combined results illustrate the utility of applying homology-based methods for annotating novel vertebrate genomes.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Paul P. Gardner
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Canterbury, Christchurch, New Zealand
- Biomolecular Interaction Centre, University of Canterbury, Christchurch, New Zealand
- * E-mail:
| | - Mario Fasold
- Bioinformatics Group, Department of Computer Science; and Interdisciplinary Center for Bioinformatics, University of Leipzig, Härtelstrasse 16-18, D-04107 Leipzig, Germany
- ecSeq Bioinformatics, Brandvorwerkstr.43, D-04275 Leipzig, Germany
| | - Sarah W. Burge
- European Molecular Biology Laboratory, European Bioinformatics Institute, Hinxton, Cambridge, CB10 1SD, UK
| | - Maria Ninova
- Faculty of Life Sciences, University of Manchester, Manchester, United Kingdom
| | - Jana Hertel
- Bioinformatics Group, Department of Computer Science; and Interdisciplinary Center for Bioinformatics, University of Leipzig, Härtelstrasse 16-18, D-04107 Leipzig, Germany
| | - Stephanie Kehr
- Bioinformatics Group, Department of Computer Science; and Interdisciplinary Center for Bioinformatics, University of Leipzig, Härtelstrasse 16-18, D-04107 Leipzig, Germany
| | - Tammy E. Steeves
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Canterbury, Christchurch, New Zealand
| | - Sam Griffiths-Jones
- Faculty of Life Sciences, University of Manchester, Manchester, United Kingdom
| | - Peter F. Stadler
- Bioinformatics Group, Department of Computer Science; and Interdisciplinary Center for Bioinformatics, University of Leipzig, Härtelstrasse 16-18, D-04107 Leipzig, Germany
- Max Planck Institute for Mathematics in the Sciences, Inselstraße 22, D-04103 Leipzig, Germany
- Fraunhofer Institute for Cell Therapy and Immunology, Perlickstrasse 1, D-04103 Leipzig, Germany
- Department of Theoretical Chemistry of the University of Vienna, Währingerstrasse 17, A-1090 Vienna, Austria
- Center for RNA in Technology and Health, Univ. Copenhagen, Grønnegårdsvej 3, Frederiksberg C, Denmark
- Santa Fe Institute, 1399 Hyde Park Road, Santa Fe NM 87501, USA
- German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv) Halle-Jena-Leipzig, Germany
| |
Collapse
|
30
|
Lindsay WR, Houck JT, Giuliano CE, Day LB. Acrobatic Courtship Display Coevolves with Brain Size in Manakins (Pipridae). BRAIN, BEHAVIOR AND EVOLUTION 2015; 85:29-36. [DOI: 10.1159/000369244] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/07/2014] [Accepted: 10/10/2014] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Abstract
Acrobatic display behaviour is sexually selected in manakins (Pipridae) and can place high demands on many neural systems. Manakin displays vary across species in terms of behavioural complexity, differing in number of unique motor elements, production of mechanical sounds, cooperation between displaying males, and construction of the display site. Historically, research emphasis has been placed on neurological specializations for vocal aspects of courtship, and less is known about the control of physical, non-vocal displays. By examining brain evolution in relation to extreme acrobatic feats such as manakin displays, we can vastly expand our knowledge of how sexual selection acts on motor behaviour. We tested the hypothesis that sexual selection for complex motor displays has selected for larger brains across the Pipridae. We found that display complexity positively predicts relative brain weight (adjusted for body size) after controlling for phylogeny in 12 manakin species and a closely related flycatcher. This evidence suggests that brain size has evolved in response to sexual selection to facilitate aspects of display such as motor, sensorimotor, perceptual, and cognitive abilities. We show, for the first time, that sexual selection for acrobatic motor behaviour can drive brain size evolution in avian species and, in particular, a family of suboscine birds.
Collapse
|
31
|
Rensel MA, Comito D, Kosarussavadi S, Schlinger BA. Region-specific neural corticosterone patterns differ from plasma in a male songbird. Endocrinology 2014; 155:3572-81. [PMID: 24914945 PMCID: PMC4138571 DOI: 10.1210/en.2014-1231] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/14/2014] [Accepted: 05/28/2014] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
The adrenal hormone corticosterone (CORT) acts on brain to mediate physiology and behavior. In songbirds, behavioral effects of CORT vary across species, environmental conditions, and life history stage, with several mechanisms proposed to account for these divergent results. Although blood CORT levels are well characterized, few studies measure CORT within the brain itself. Here we used in vivo microdialysis to measure CORT in two regions of the zebra finch brain, the hippocampus (HP) and caudal nidopallium (cNp). Our results show that we can successfully measure physiological levels of CORT in brain within 15- to 30-minute intervals of dialysate collection. Moreover, we found that levels in the cNp were generally lower than levels in the HP. Surprisingly, whereas plasma CORT levels increased in response to a standard stressor, no stress-induced surge was detected in the HP or cNp. In addition, although a diel CORT rhythm was observed in plasma, the rhythm in brain was attenuated and only observed when levels were integrated over a 4-hour time period. Regional differences in brain CORT levels were reflected in local mRNA expression levels of the CORT-inactivating enzyme 11β-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase type 2 with levels elevated in the cNp relative to the HP. Region-specific CORT metabolism may therefore play a role in buffering the brain from CORT fluctuations.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- M A Rensel
- Department of Integrative Biology and Physiology (M.A.R., D.C., S.K., B.A.S.) and Laboratory of Neuroendocrinology (B.A.S.), Brain Research Institute, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California 90095
| | | | | | | |
Collapse
|
32
|
Fusani L, Donaldson Z, London SE, Fuxjager MJ, Schlinger BA. Expression of androgen receptor in the brain of a sub-oscine bird with an elaborate courtship display. Neurosci Lett 2014; 578:61-5. [PMID: 24954076 PMCID: PMC4359618 DOI: 10.1016/j.neulet.2014.06.028] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/13/2014] [Revised: 06/04/2014] [Accepted: 06/11/2014] [Indexed: 01/12/2023]
Abstract
Sex steroids control vertebrate behavior by modulating neural circuits specialized for sex steroid sensitivity. In birds, receptors for androgens (AR) and estrogens (ERα) show conserved expression in neural circuits controlling copulatory and vocal behaviors. Male golden-collared manakins have become a model for evaluating hormonal control of complex physical courtship displays. These birds perform visually and acoustically elaborate displays involving considerable neuromuscular coordination. Androgens activate manakin courtship and AR are expressed widely in spinal circuits and peripheral muscles utilized in courtship. Using in situ hybridization, we report here the distributions of AR and ERα mRNA in the brains of golden-collared manakins. Overall patterns of AR and ERα mRNA expression resemble what has been observed in non-vocal learning species. Notably, however, we detected a large area of AR expression in the arcopallium, a forebrain region that contains a crucial premotor song nucleus in vocal learning species. These results support the idea that AR signaling both centrally and peripherally is responsible for the activation of male manakin courtship, and the arcopallium is likely a premotor site for AR-mediated displays.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Leonida Fusani
- Department of Life Science and Biotechnology, University of Ferrara, 44121 Ferrara, Italy.
| | - Zoe Donaldson
- Division of Integrative Neuroscience, Department of Psychiatry, Columbia University, New York, NY 10023, USA
| | - Sarah E London
- Department of Psychology, Institute for Mind and Biology, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA
| | - Matthew J Fuxjager
- Departments of Integrative Biology and Physiology, Ecology and Evolutionary Biology and the Laboratory of Neuroendocrinology, Brain Research Institute, University of California, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
| | - Barney A Schlinger
- Departments of Integrative Biology and Physiology, Ecology and Evolutionary Biology and the Laboratory of Neuroendocrinology, Brain Research Institute, University of California, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA.
| |
Collapse
|
33
|
Fusani L, Barske J, Day LD, Fuxjager MJ, Schlinger BA. Physiological control of elaborate male courtship: female choice for neuromuscular systems. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2014; 46 Pt 4:534-46. [PMID: 25086380 DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2014.07.017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 49] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/31/2014] [Revised: 07/14/2014] [Accepted: 07/22/2014] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
Males of many animal species perform specialized courtship behaviours to gain copulations with females. Identifying physiological and anatomical specializations underlying performance of these behaviours helps clarify mechanisms through which sexual selection promotes the evolution of elaborate courtship. Our knowledge about neuromuscular specializations that support elaborate displays is limited to a few model species. In this review, we focus on the physiological control of the courtship of a tropical bird, the golden-collared manakin, which has been the focus of our research for nearly 20 years. Male manakins perform physically elaborate courtship displays that are quick, accurate and powerful. Females seem to choose males based on their motor skills suggesting that neuromuscular specializations possessed by these males are driven by female choice. Male courtship is activated by androgens and androgen receptors are expressed in qualitatively and quantitatively unconventional ways in manakin brain, spinal cord and skeletal muscles. We propose that in some species, females select males based on their neuromuscular capabilities and acquired skills and that elaborate steroid-dependent courtship displays evolve to signal these traits.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Leonida Fusani
- Department of Life Sciences and Biotechnology, University of Ferrara, 44121 Ferrara, Italy.
| | - Julia Barske
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA.
| | - Lainy D Day
- Department of Biology, University of Mississippi, University, MS 38677, USA.
| | - Matthew J Fuxjager
- Department of Integrative Biology and Physiology, Laboratory of Neuroendocrinology, Brain Research Institute, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA.
| | - Barney A Schlinger
- Department of Integrative Biology and Physiology, Laboratory of Neuroendocrinology, Brain Research Institute, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA; Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA.
| |
Collapse
|
34
|
Fuxjager MJ, Longpre KM, Chew JG, Fusani L, Schlinger BA. Peripheral androgen receptors sustain the acrobatics and fine motor skill of elaborate male courtship. Endocrinology 2013; 154:3168-77. [PMID: 23782945 PMCID: PMC5393330 DOI: 10.1210/en.2013-1302] [Citation(s) in RCA: 57] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Abstract
Androgenic hormones regulate many aspects of animal social behavior, including the elaborate display routines on which many species rely for advertisement and competition. One way that this might occur is through peripheral effects of androgens, particularly on skeletal muscles that control complex movements and postures of the body and its limbs. However, the specific contribution of peripheral androgen-muscle interactions to the performance of elaborate behavioral displays in the natural world has never been examined. We study this issue in one of the only natural physiological models of animal acrobatics: the golden-collared manakin (Manacus vitellinus). In this tropical bird, males compete with each other and court females by producing firecracker-like wing- snaps and by rapidly dancing among saplings over the forest floor. To test how activation of peripheral androgen receptors (AR) influences this display, we treat reproductively active adult male birds with the peripherally selective antiandrogen bicalutamide (BICAL) and observe the effects of this manipulation on male display performance. We not only validate the peripheral specificity of BICAL in this species, but we also show that BICAL treatment reduces the frequency with which adult male birds perform their acrobatic display maneuvers and disrupts the overall structure and fine-scale patterning of these birds' main complex wing-snap sonation. In addition, this manipulation has no effect on the behavioral metrics associated with male motivation to display. Together, our findings help differentiate the various effects of peripheral and central AR on the performance of a complex sociosexual behavioral phenotype by indicating that peripheral AR can optimize the motor skills necessary for the production of an elaborate animal display.
Collapse
MESH Headings
- Androgen Receptor Antagonists/administration & dosage
- Androgen Receptor Antagonists/pharmacology
- Anilides/administration & dosage
- Anilides/pharmacology
- Animals
- Animals, Wild/growth & development
- Animals, Wild/physiology
- Avian Proteins/antagonists & inhibitors
- Avian Proteins/genetics
- Avian Proteins/metabolism
- Drug Implants
- Feathers/growth & development
- Feathers/metabolism
- Infusions, Subcutaneous
- Male
- Motor Skills/drug effects
- Muscle, Skeletal/drug effects
- Muscle, Skeletal/metabolism
- Nitriles/administration & dosage
- Nitriles/pharmacology
- Nonsteroidal Anti-Androgens/administration & dosage
- Nonsteroidal Anti-Androgens/pharmacology
- Panama
- Pigments, Biological/metabolism
- RNA, Messenger/metabolism
- Random Allocation
- Receptors, Androgen/chemistry
- Receptors, Androgen/genetics
- Receptors, Androgen/metabolism
- Sexual Behavior, Animal/drug effects
- Songbirds/growth & development
- Songbirds/physiology
- Tosyl Compounds/administration & dosage
- Tosyl Compounds/pharmacology
- Trees
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Matthew J Fuxjager
- Department of Integrative Biology and Physiology, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California 90095, USA
| | | | | | | | | |
Collapse
|
35
|
Schlinger BA, Barske J, Day L, Fusani L, Fuxjager MJ. Hormones and the neuromuscular control of courtship in the golden-collared manakin (Manacus vitellinus). Front Neuroendocrinol 2013; 34:143-56. [PMID: 23624091 PMCID: PMC3995001 DOI: 10.1016/j.yfrne.2013.04.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 48] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/05/2013] [Revised: 04/15/2013] [Accepted: 04/16/2013] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
Many animals engage in spectacular courtship displays, likely recruiting specialized neural, hormonal and muscular systems to facilitate these performances. Male golden-collared manakins (Manacus vitellinus) of Panamanian rainforests perform physically elaborate courtship displays that include novel forms of visual and acoustic signaling. We study the behavioral neuroendocrinology of this male's courtship, combining field behavioral observations with anatomical, biochemical and molecular laboratory-based studies. Seasonally, male courtship is activated by testosterone with little correspondence between testosterone levels and display intensity. Females prefer males whose displays are exceptionally frequent, fast and accurate. The activation of androgen receptors (AR) is crucial for optimal display performance, with AR expressed at elevated levels in several neuromuscular tissues. Apparently, courtship enlists an elaborate androgen-dependent network that includes spinal motoneurons, skeletal muscles and somatosensory systems. This work highlights the value of studying non-traditional species to illuminate physiological adaptations and, hopefully, stimulates future research on other species with complex behaviors.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Barney A Schlinger
- Department of Integrative Biology and Physiology, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA.
| | | | | | | | | |
Collapse
|
36
|
Fuxjager MJ, Barske J, Du S, Day LB, Schlinger BA. Androgens regulate gene expression in avian skeletal muscles. PLoS One 2012; 7:e51482. [PMID: 23284699 PMCID: PMC3524251 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0051482] [Citation(s) in RCA: 43] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/28/2012] [Accepted: 11/06/2012] [Indexed: 12/28/2022] Open
Abstract
Circulating androgens in adult reproductively active male vertebrates influence a diversity of organ systems and thus are considered costly. Recently, we obtained evidence that androgen receptors (AR) are expressed in several skeletal muscles of three passeriform birds, the golden-collared manakin (Manacus vitellinus), zebra finch (Taenopygia guttata), and ochre-bellied flycatcher (Mionectes oleagieus). Because skeletal muscles that control wing movement make up the bulk of a bird’s body mass, evidence for widespread effects of androgen action on these muscles would greatly expand the functional impact of androgens beyond their well-characterized effects on relatively discrete targets throughout the avian body. To investigate this issue, we use quantitative PCR (qPCR) to determine if androgens alter gene mRNA expression patterns in wing musculature of wild golden-collared manakins and captive zebra finches. In manakins, the androgen testosterone (T) up-regulated expression of parvalbumin (PV) and insulin-like growth factor I (IGF-I), two genes whose products enhance cellular Ca2+ cycling and hypertrophy of skeletal muscle fibers. In T-treated zebra finches, the anti-androgen flutamide blunted PV and IGF-I expression. These results suggest that certain transcriptional effects of androgen action via AR are conserved in passerine skeletal muscle tissue. When we examined wing muscles of manakins, zebra finches and ochre-bellied flycatchers, we found that expression of PV and IGF-I varied across species and in a manner consistent with a function for AR-dependent gene regulation. Together, these findings imply that androgens have the potential to act on avian muscle in a way that may enhance the physicality required for successful reproduction.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Matthew J Fuxjager
- Department of Integrative Biology and Physiology, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California, United States of America.
| | | | | | | | | |
Collapse
|