1
|
Shen X, Hu J, Yáñez JM, Bastos Gomes G, Poon ZWJ, Foster D, Alarcon JF, Shao L, Guo X, Shao Y, Huerlimann R, Li C, Goulden E, Anderson K, Fan G, Domingos JA. Exploring the cobia (Rachycentron canadum) genome: unveiling putative male heterogametic regions and identification of sex-specific markers. Gigascience 2024; 13:giae034. [PMID: 38995143 PMCID: PMC11240236 DOI: 10.1093/gigascience/giae034] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/30/2023] [Revised: 04/19/2024] [Accepted: 05/22/2024] [Indexed: 07/13/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Cobia (Rachycentron canadum) is the only member of the Rachycentridae family and exhibits considerable sexual dimorphism in growth rate. Sex determination in teleosts has been a long-standing basic biological question, and the molecular mechanisms of sex determination/differentiation in cobia are completely unknown. RESULTS Here, we reported 2 high-quality, chromosome-level annotated male and female cobia genomes with assembly sizes of 586.51 Mb (contig/scaffold N50: 86.0 kb/24.3 Mb) and 583.88 Mb (79.9 kb/22.5 Mb), respectively. Synteny inference among perciform genomes revealed that cobia and the remora Echeneis naucrates were sister groups. Further, whole-genome resequencing of 31 males and 60 females, genome-wide association study, and sequencing depth analysis identified 3 short male-specific regions within a 10.7-kb continuous genomic region on male chromosome 18, which hinted at an undifferentiated sex chromosome system with a putative XX/XY mode of sex determination in cobia. Importantly, the only 2 genes within/between the male-specific regions, epoxide hydrolase 1 (ephx1, renamed cephx1y) and transcription factor 24 (tcf24, renamed ctcf24y), showed testis-specific/biased gene expression, whereas their counterparts cephx1x and ctf24x, located in female chromosome 18, were similarly expressed in both sexes. In addition, male-specific PCR targeting the cephx1y gene revealed that this genomic feature is conserved in cobia populations from Panama, Brazil, Australia, and Japan. CONCLUSION The first comprehensive genomic survey presented here is a valuable resource for future studies on cobia population structure and dynamics, conservation, and evolutionary history. Furthermore, it establishes evidence of putative male heterogametic regions with 2 genes playing a potential role in the sex determination of the species, and it provides further support for the rapid evolution of sex-determining mechanisms in teleost fish.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Xueyan Shen
- Tropical Futures Institute, James Cook University Singapore, 387380, Singapore
| | - Jie Hu
- BGI-Qingdao, BGI-Shenzhen, Qingdao, Shandong 266555, China
| | - José M Yáñez
- Facultad de Ciencias Veterinarias y Pecuarias, Universidad de Chile, 8820808 Santiago, Chile
| | - Giana Bastos Gomes
- Temasek Life Sciences Laboratory, 1 Research Link, National University of Singapore, 117604, Singapore
| | | | | | | | - Libin Shao
- BGI-Qingdao, BGI-Shenzhen, Qingdao, Shandong 266555, China
| | - Xinyu Guo
- BGI-Qingdao, BGI-Shenzhen, Qingdao, Shandong 266555, China
| | - Yunchang Shao
- China National GeneBank, BGI-Shenzhen, Shenzhen, Guangdong 518120, China
- State Key Laboratory of Quality Research in Chinese Medicine, Institute of Chinese Medical Sciences, University of Macau, Macao 999078, China
- Geogia Tech Shenzhen Institute (GTSI), Tianjin University, Shen Zhen 518067, China
| | - Roger Huerlimann
- Marine Climate Change Unit, Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology (OIST), Okinawa, 904-0495, Japan
| | - Chengze Li
- Marine Climate Change Unit, Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology (OIST), Okinawa, 904-0495, Japan
| | - Evan Goulden
- Department of Agriculture and Fisheries, Queensland Government, Bribie Island Research Centre, Woorim, QLD 4507, Australia
| | - Kelli Anderson
- Department of Agriculture and Fisheries, Queensland Government, Bribie Island Research Centre, Woorim, QLD 4507, Australia
| | - Guangyi Fan
- BGI-Qingdao, BGI-Shenzhen, Qingdao, Shandong 266555, China
- China National GeneBank, BGI-Shenzhen, Shenzhen, Guangdong 518120, China
- BGI-Shenzhen, Shenzhen, Guangdong 518083, China
| | - Jose A Domingos
- Tropical Futures Institute, James Cook University Singapore, 387380, Singapore
- Centre for Sustainable Tropical Fisheries and Aquaculture, James Cook University, Townsville QLD 4811, Australia
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Jones NAR, Cortese D, Munson A, Spence‐Jones HC, Storm Z, Killen SS, Bethel R, Deacon AE, Webster MM, Závorka L. Maze design: size and number of choices impact fish performance in cognitive assays. JOURNAL OF FISH BIOLOGY 2023; 103:974-984. [PMID: 37386747 PMCID: PMC10952265 DOI: 10.1111/jfb.15493] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/03/2023] [Revised: 06/27/2023] [Accepted: 06/28/2023] [Indexed: 07/01/2023]
Abstract
Although studies on fish cognition are increasing, consideration of how methodological details influence the ability to detect and measure performance is lagging. Here, in two separate experiments the authors compared latency to leave the start position, latency to make a decision, levels of participation and success rates (whether fish entered the rewarded chamber as first choice) across different physical designs. Experiments compared fish performance across (a) two sizes of T-mazes, large and standard, and a plus-maze, and (b) open choice arenas with either two or four doors. Fish in T-mazes with longer arms took longer to leave the start chamber and were less likely to participate in a trial than fish in T-mazes with shorter arms. The number of options, or complexity, in a maze significantly impacted success but did not necessarily impact behavioural measures, and did not impact the number of fish that reached a chamber. Fish in the plus-maze had similar latencies to leave the start box and time to reach any chamber as fish in the same-sized T-maze but exhibited lower overall success. Similarly, in an open choice arena, increasing the number of options - doors to potential reward chambers - resulted in lower probability of success. There was an influence of reward position in the choice arena, with rewarded chambers closest to the sides of the arena resulting in lower latencies to enter and higher probability of decision success. Together the results allow the authors to offer practical suggestions towards optimal maze design for studies of fish cognition.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Nick A. R. Jones
- Department of Animal PhysiologyUniversity of BayreuthBayreuthGermany
- Centre for Social Learning and Cognitive Evolution, School of Biology, University of St AndrewsSt AndrewsUK
| | - Daphne Cortese
- School of Biodiversity, One Health and Veterinary Medicine, University of GlasgowGlasgowUK
| | - Amelia Munson
- School of Biodiversity, One Health and Veterinary Medicine, University of GlasgowGlasgowUK
| | - Helen C. Spence‐Jones
- Alfred‐Wegener‐Institut Helmholtz‐Zentrum für Polar‐ und Meeresforschung, Wadden Sea Station SyltListGermany
| | - Zoe Storm
- School of Biodiversity, One Health and Veterinary Medicine, University of GlasgowGlasgowUK
| | - Shaun S. Killen
- School of Biodiversity, One Health and Veterinary Medicine, University of GlasgowGlasgowUK
| | - Ruth Bethel
- Department of Life SciencesThe University of the West IndiesSt AugustineTrinidad and Tobago
| | - Amy E. Deacon
- Department of Life SciencesThe University of the West IndiesSt AugustineTrinidad and Tobago
| | - Mike M. Webster
- Centre for Social Learning and Cognitive Evolution, School of Biology, University of St AndrewsSt AndrewsUK
| | - Libor Závorka
- WasserCluster Lunz – Biologische Station, Inter‐university Centre for Aquatic Ecosystem ResearchLunz am SeeAustria
- Danube University KremsKremsAustria
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Herrera M, Ravasi T, Laudet V. Anemonefishes: A model system for evolutionary genomics. F1000Res 2023; 12:204. [PMID: 37928172 PMCID: PMC10624958 DOI: 10.12688/f1000research.130752.2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 10/20/2023] [Indexed: 11/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Anemonefishes are an iconic group of coral reef fish particularly known for their mutualistic relationship with sea anemones. This mutualism is especially intriguing as it likely prompted the rapid diversification of anemonefish. Understanding the genomic architecture underlying this process has indeed become one of the holy grails of evolutionary research in these fishes. Recently, anemonefishes have also been used as a model system to study the molecular basis of highly complex traits such as color patterning, social sex change, larval dispersal and life span. Extensive genomic resources including several high-quality reference genomes, a linkage map, and various genetic tools have indeed enabled the identification of genomic features controlling some of these fascinating attributes, but also provided insights into the molecular mechanisms underlying adaptive responses to changing environments. Here, we review the latest findings and new avenues of research that have led to this group of fish being regarded as a model for evolutionary genomics.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Marcela Herrera
- Marine Eco-Evo-Devo Unit, Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology Graduate University, 1919-1 Tancha, Onna-son, Okinawa, 904-0495, Japan
| | - Timothy Ravasi
- Marine Climate Change Unit, Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology Graduate University, 1919-1 Tancha, Onna-son, Okinawa, 904-0495, Japan
- Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies, James Cook University, Townsville, Queensland, 4811, Australia
| | - Vincent Laudet
- Marine Eco-Evo-Devo Unit, Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology Graduate University, 1919-1 Tancha, Onna-son, Okinawa, 904-0495, Japan
- Marine Research Station, Institute of Cellular and Organismic Biology (ICOB), Academia Sinica, 23-10, Dah-Uen Rd, Jiau Shi I-Lan 262, Taiwan
| |
Collapse
|
4
|
Guo H, Näslund J, Thomassen ST, Larsen MH. Social isolation affects intra-specific interaction behaviour and reduces the size of the cerebellar brain region in juvenile Atlantic salmon Salmo salar. JOURNAL OF FISH BIOLOGY 2022; 101:711-721. [PMID: 35751413 PMCID: PMC9540882 DOI: 10.1111/jfb.15142] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/06/2022] [Accepted: 06/20/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
The social environment can affect the development of behavioural phenotypes in fish, and it is important to understand such effects when rearing fish in artificial environments. Here, the authors test the effects of spatial isolation on social interaction propensity and brain development in hatchery-reared Atlantic salmon Salmo salar L. Salmon reared in isolation generally stayed further away from a conspecific in a standardized intruder test than conspecifics reared together in groups. Isolated salmon also tended to be more active in an intruder test, albeit non-significantly so, but this pattern was not detected in open-field tests without an intruding conspecific. The cerebellar brain region was relatively smaller in isolated salmon, suggesting that the brain was developing differently in these fish. Therefore, some features of the behavioural and neural phenotype are affected by rearing in isolation. These effects should be considered when rearing salmon, particularly for experimental purposes as it may affect results of laboratory studies on behavioural expression and brain size.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Haoyu Guo
- Fisheries CollegeZhejiang Ocean UniversityZhoushanChina
| | - Joacim Näslund
- Department of Aquatic ResourcesInstitute of Freshwater Research, Swedish University of Agricultural SciencesDrottningholmSweden
| | | | - Martin H. Larsen
- Danish Centre for Wild SalmonRandersDenmark
- National Institute of Aquatic ResourcesSection for Freshwater Fisheries Ecology, Technical University of DenmarkSilkeborgDenmark
| |
Collapse
|
5
|
Brochu MP, Aubin-Horth N. Shedding light on the circadian clock of the threespine stickleback. J Exp Biol 2021; 224:jeb242970. [PMID: 34854903 PMCID: PMC8729910 DOI: 10.1242/jeb.242970] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/03/2021] [Accepted: 11/24/2021] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
The circadian clock is an internal timekeeping system shared by most organisms, and knowledge about its functional importance and evolution in natural environments is still needed. Here, we investigated the circadian clock of wild-caught threespine sticklebacks (Gasterosteus aculeatus) at the behavioural and molecular levels. Although their behaviour, ecology and evolution are well studied, information on their circadian rhythms are scarce. We quantified the daily locomotor activity rhythm under a light:dark cycle (LD) and under constant darkness (DD). Under LD, all fish exhibited significant daily rhythmicity, while under DD, only 18% of individuals remained rhythmic. This interindividual variation suggests that the circadian clock controls activity only in certain individuals. Moreover, under LD, some fish were almost exclusively nocturnal, while others were active around the clock. Furthermore, the most nocturnal fish were also the least active. These results suggest that light masks activity (i.e. suppresses activity without entraining the internal clock) more strongly in some individuals than others. Finally, we quantified the expression of five clock genes in the brain of sticklebacks under DD using qPCR. We did not detect circadian rhythmicity, which could indicate either that the clock molecular oscillator is highly light-dependent, or that there was an oscillation but that we were unable to detect it. Overall, our study suggests that a strong circadian control on behavioural rhythms may not necessarily be advantageous in a natural population of sticklebacks and that the daily phase of activity varies greatly between individuals because of a differential masking effect of light.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | - Nadia Aubin-Horth
- Département de Biologie and Institut de Biologie Intégrative et des Systèmes (IBIS), Université Laval, Québec, QC G1V 0A6, Canada
| |
Collapse
|
6
|
Jaiswal S, Nandi S, Iquebal MA, Jasrotia RS, Patra S, Mishra G, Udit UK, Sahu DK, Angadi UB, Meher PK, Routray P, Sundaray JK, Verma DK, Das P, Jayasankar P, Rai A, Kumar D. Revelation of candidate genes and molecular mechanism of reproductive seasonality in female rohu (Labeo rohita Ham.) by RNA sequencing. BMC Genomics 2021; 22:685. [PMID: 34548034 PMCID: PMC8456608 DOI: 10.1186/s12864-021-08001-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/29/2020] [Accepted: 05/26/2021] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Carp fish, rohu (Labeo rohita Ham.) is important freshwater aquaculture species of South-East Asia having seasonal reproductive rhythm. There is no holistic study at transcriptome level revealing key candidate genes involved in such circannual rhythm regulated by biological clock genes (BCGs). Seasonality manifestation has two contrasting phases of reproduction, i.e., post-spawning resting and initiation of gonadal activity appropriate for revealing the associated candidate genes. It can be deciphered by RNA sequencing of tissues involved in BPGL (Brain-Pituitary-Gonad-Liver) axis controlling seasonality. How far such BCGs of this fish are evolutionarily conserved across different phyla is unknown. Such study can be of further use to enhance fish productivity as seasonality restricts seed production beyond monsoon season. RESULT A total of ~ 150 Gb of transcriptomic data of four tissues viz., BPGL were generated using Illumina TruSeq. De-novo assembled BPGL tissues revealed 75,554 differentially expressed transcripts, 115,534 SSRs, 65,584 SNPs, 514 pathways, 5379 transcription factors, 187 mature miRNA which regulates candidate genes represented by 1576 differentially expressed transcripts are available in the form of web-genomic resources. Findings were validated by qPCR. This is the first report in carp fish having 32 BCGs, found widely conserved in fish, amphibian, reptile, birds, prototheria, marsupials and placental mammals. This is due to universal mechanism of rhythmicity in response to environment and earth rotation having adaptive and reproductive significance. CONCLUSION This study elucidates evolutionary conserved mechanism of photo-periodism sensing, neuroendocrine secretion, metabolism and yolk synthesis in liver, gonadal maturation, muscular growth with sensory and auditory perception in this fish. Study reveals fish as a good model for research on biological clock besides its relevance in reproductive efficiency enhancement.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Sarika Jaiswal
- Centre for Agricultural Bioinformatics, ICAR-Indian Agricultural Statistics Research Institute, New Delhi, India
| | - Samiran Nandi
- ICAR- Central Institute of Freshwater Aquaculture, Bhubaneswar, Odhisa India
| | - Mir Asif Iquebal
- Centre for Agricultural Bioinformatics, ICAR-Indian Agricultural Statistics Research Institute, New Delhi, India
| | - Rahul Singh Jasrotia
- Centre for Agricultural Bioinformatics, ICAR-Indian Agricultural Statistics Research Institute, New Delhi, India
| | - Sunita Patra
- ICAR- Central Institute of Freshwater Aquaculture, Bhubaneswar, Odhisa India
| | - Gayatri Mishra
- ICAR- Central Institute of Freshwater Aquaculture, Bhubaneswar, Odhisa India
| | - Uday Kumar Udit
- ICAR- Central Institute of Freshwater Aquaculture, Bhubaneswar, Odhisa India
| | - Dinesh Kumar Sahu
- ICAR- Central Institute of Freshwater Aquaculture, Bhubaneswar, Odhisa India
| | - U. B. Angadi
- Centre for Agricultural Bioinformatics, ICAR-Indian Agricultural Statistics Research Institute, New Delhi, India
| | - Prem Kumar Meher
- ICAR- Central Institute of Freshwater Aquaculture, Bhubaneswar, Odhisa India
| | - Padmanav Routray
- ICAR- Central Institute of Freshwater Aquaculture, Bhubaneswar, Odhisa India
| | | | | | - Paramananda Das
- ICAR- Central Institute of Freshwater Aquaculture, Bhubaneswar, Odhisa India
| | | | - Anil Rai
- Centre for Agricultural Bioinformatics, ICAR-Indian Agricultural Statistics Research Institute, New Delhi, India
| | - Dinesh Kumar
- Centre for Agricultural Bioinformatics, ICAR-Indian Agricultural Statistics Research Institute, New Delhi, India
| |
Collapse
|
7
|
Abstract
The repeated adaptation of oceanic threespine sticklebacks to fresh water has made it a premier organism to study parallel evolution. These small fish have multiple distinct ecotypes that display a wide range of diverse phenotypic traits. Ecotypes are easily crossed in the laboratory, and families are large and develop quickly enough for quantitative trait locus analyses, positioning the threespine stickleback as a versatile model organism to address a wide range of biological questions. Extensive genomic resources, including linkage maps, a high-quality reference genome, and developmental genetics tools have led to insights into the genomic basis of adaptation and the identification of genomic changes controlling traits in vertebrates. Recently, threespine sticklebacks have been used as a model system to identify the genomic basis of highly complex traits, such as behavior and host-microbiome and host-parasite interactions. We review the latest findings and new avenues of research that have led the threespine stickleback to be considered a supermodel of evolutionary genomics.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Kerry Reid
- Department of Ecology and Evolution, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, New York 11794, USA;
| | - Michael A Bell
- University of California Museum of Paleontology, Berkeley, California 94720, USA
| | - Krishna R Veeramah
- Department of Ecology and Evolution, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, New York 11794, USA;
| |
Collapse
|
8
|
James N, Bell A. Minimally invasive brain injections for viral-mediated transgenesis: New tools for behavioral genetics in sticklebacks. PLoS One 2021; 16:e0251653. [PMID: 33999965 PMCID: PMC8128275 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0251653] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/02/2021] [Accepted: 04/30/2021] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Behavioral genetics in non-model organisms is currently gated by technological limitations. However, with the growing availability of genome editing and functional genomic tools, complex behavioral traits such as social behavior can now be explored in diverse organisms. Here we present a minimally invasive neurosurgical procedure for a classic behavioral, ecological and evolutionary system: threespine stickleback (Gasterosteus aculeatus). Direct brain injection enables viral-mediated transgenesis and pharmaceutical delivery which bypasses the blood-brain barrier. This method is flexible, fast, and amenable to statistically powerful within-subject experimental designs, making it well-suited for use in genetically diverse animals such as those collected from natural populations. Developing this minimally invasive neurosurgical protocol required 1) refining the anesthesia process, 2) building a custom surgical rig, and 3) determining the normal recovery pattern allowing us to clearly identify warning signs of failure to thrive. Our custom-built surgical rig (publicly available) and optimized anesthetization methods resulted in high (90%) survival rates and quick behavioral recovery. Using this method, we detected changes in aggression from the overexpression of either of two different genes, arginine vasopressin (AVP) and monoamine oxidase (MAOA), in outbred animals in less than one month. We successfully used multiple promoters to drive expression, allowing for tailored expression profiles through time. In addition, we demonstrate that widely available mammalian plasmids work with this method, lowering the barrier of entry to the technique. By using repeated measures of behavior on the same fish before and after transfection, we were able to drastically reduce the necessary sample size needed to detect significant changes in behavior, making this a viable approach for examining genetic mechanisms underlying complex social behaviors.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Noelle James
- Neuroscience Program, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois, United States of America
- Department of Evolution, Ecology and Behavior, University of Illinois at Urbana, Urbana, Illinois, United States of America
| | - Alison Bell
- Neuroscience Program, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois, United States of America
- Department of Evolution, Ecology and Behavior, University of Illinois at Urbana, Urbana, Illinois, United States of America
- Carl R. Woese Institute for Genomic Biology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois, United States of America
- Program in Ecology, Evolution and Conservation Biology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois, United States of America
| |
Collapse
|
9
|
Krick MV, Desmarais E, Samaras A, Guéret E, Dimitroglou A, Pavlidis M, Tsigenopoulos C, Guinand B. Family-effects in the epigenomic response of red blood cells to a challenge test in the European sea bass (Dicentrarchus labrax, L.). BMC Genomics 2021; 22:111. [PMID: 33563212 PMCID: PMC7871408 DOI: 10.1186/s12864-021-07420-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/24/2020] [Accepted: 01/31/2021] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Abstract Background In fish, minimally invasive blood sampling is widely used to monitor physiological stress with blood plasma biomarkers. As fish blood cells are nucleated, they might be a source a potential new markers derived from ‘omics technologies. We modified the epiGBS (epiGenotyping By Sequencing) technique to explore changes in genome-wide cytosine methylation in the red blood cells (RBCs) of challenged European sea bass (Dicentrarchus labrax), a species widely studied in both natural and farmed environments. Results We retrieved 501,108,033 sequencing reads after trimming, with a mean mapping efficiency of 73.0% (unique best hits). Minor changes in RBC methylome appeared to manifest after the challenge test and a family-effect was detected. Only fifty-seven differentially methylated cytosines (DMCs) close to 51 distinct genes distributed on 17 of 24 linkage groups (LGs) were detected between RBCs of pre- and post-challenge individuals. Thirty-seven of these genes were previously reported as differentially expressed in the brain of zebrafish, most of them involved in stress coping differences. While further investigation remains necessary, few DMC-related genes associated to the Brain Derived Neurotrophic Factor, a protein that favors stress adaptation and fear memory, appear relevant to integrate a centrally produced stress response in RBCs. Conclusion Our modified epiGBS protocol was powerful to analyze patterns of cytosine methylation in RBCs of D. labrax and to evaluate the impact of a challenge using minimally invasive blood samples. This study is the first approximation to identify epigenetic biomarkers of exposure to stress in fish. Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12864-021-07420-9.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Madoka Vera Krick
- UMR UM CNRS IRD EPHE ISEM- Institut des Sciences de l'Evolution de Montpellier, Montpellier, France
| | - Erick Desmarais
- UMR UM CNRS IRD EPHE ISEM- Institut des Sciences de l'Evolution de Montpellier, Montpellier, France
| | | | - Elise Guéret
- UMR UM CNRS IRD EPHE ISEM- Institut des Sciences de l'Evolution de Montpellier, Montpellier, France.,Univ. Montpellier, CNRS, INSERM, Montpellier, France.,Montpellier GenomiX, France Génomique, Montpellier, France
| | | | - Michalis Pavlidis
- Department of Biology, University of Crete, 70013, Heraklion, Greece
| | - Costas Tsigenopoulos
- Hellenic Centre for Marine Research (HCMR), Institute of Marine Biology, Biotechnology and Aquaculture (IMBBC), 715 00, Heraklion, Greece
| | - Bruno Guinand
- UMR UM CNRS IRD EPHE ISEM- Institut des Sciences de l'Evolution de Montpellier, Montpellier, France.
| |
Collapse
|
10
|
Lopes PC, König B. Wild mice with different social network sizes vary in brain gene expression. BMC Genomics 2020; 21:506. [PMID: 32698762 PMCID: PMC7374831 DOI: 10.1186/s12864-020-06911-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/15/2020] [Accepted: 07/13/2020] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Appropriate social interactions influence animal fitness by impacting several processes, such as mating, territory defense, and offspring care. Many studies shedding light on the neurobiological underpinnings of social behavior have focused on nonapeptides (vasopressin, oxytocin, and homologues) and on sexual or parent-offspring interactions. Furthermore, animals have been studied under artificial laboratory conditions, where the consequences of behavioral responses may not be as critical as when expressed under natural environments, therefore obscuring certain physiological responses. We used automated recording of social interactions of wild house mice outside of the breeding season to detect individuals at both tails of a distribution of egocentric network sizes (characterized by number of different partners encountered per day). We then used RNA-seq to perform an unbiased assessment of neural differences in gene expression in the prefrontal cortex, the hippocampus and the hypothalamus between these mice with naturally occurring extreme differences in social network size. Results We found that the neurogenomic pathways associated with having extreme social network sizes differed between the sexes. In females, hundreds of genes were differentially expressed between animals with small and large social network sizes, whereas in males very few were. In males, X-chromosome inactivation pathways in the prefrontal cortex were the ones that better differentiated animals with small from those with large social network sizes animals. In females, animals with small network size showed up-regulation of dopaminergic production and transport pathways in the hypothalamus. Additionally, in females, extracellular matrix deposition on hippocampal neurons was higher in individuals with small relative to large social network size. Conclusions Studying neural substrates of natural variation in social behavior in traditional model organisms in their habitat can open new targets of research for understanding variation in social behavior in other taxa.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Patricia C Lopes
- Schmid College of Science and Technology, Chapman University, Orange, CA, USA.
| | - Barbara König
- Department of Evolutionary Biology and Environmental Studies, University of Zurich, Zürich, Switzerland
| |
Collapse
|
11
|
Mattucci F, Galaverni M, Lyons LA, Alves PC, Randi E, Velli E, Pagani L, Caniglia R. Genomic approaches to identify hybrids and estimate admixture times in European wildcat populations. Sci Rep 2019; 9:11612. [PMID: 31406125 PMCID: PMC6691104 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-019-48002-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/01/2018] [Accepted: 07/25/2019] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
The survival of indigenous European wildcat (Felis silvestris silvestris) populations can be locally threatened by introgressive hybridization with free-ranging domestic cats. Identifying pure wildcats and investigating the ancestry of admixed individuals becomes thus a conservation priority. We analyzed 63k cat Single Nucleotide Polymorphisms (SNPs) with multivariate, Bayesian and gene-search tools to better evaluate admixture levels between domestic and wild cats collected in Europe, timing and ancestry proportions of their hybrids and backcrosses, and track the origin (wild or domestic) of the genomic blocks carried by admixed cats, also looking for possible deviations from neutrality in their inheritance patterns. Small domestic ancestry blocks were detected in the genomes of most admixed cats, which likely originated from hybridization events occurring from 6 to 22 generations in the past. We identified about 1,900 outlier coding genes with excess of wild or domestic ancestry compared to random expectations in the admixed individuals. More than 600 outlier genes were significantly enriched for Gene Ontology (GO) categories mainly related to social behavior, functional and metabolic adaptive processes (wild-like genes), involved in cognition and neural crest development (domestic-like genes), or associated with immune system functions and lipid metabolism (parental-like genes). These kinds of genomic ancestry analyses could be reliably applied to unravel the admixture dynamics in European wildcats, as well as in other hybridizing populations, in order to design more efficient conservation plans.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Federica Mattucci
- Area per la Genetica della Conservazione (BIO-CGE), Istituto Superiore per la Protezione e la Ricerca Ambientale (ISPRA), Ozzano dell'Emilia, Italy.
| | | | - Leslie A Lyons
- Department of Veterinary Medicine and Surgery, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Missouri, Columbia, USA
| | - Paulo C Alves
- Centro de Investigação em Biodiversidade e Recursos Genéticos (CIBIO), InBio - Laboratório Associado, Campus Agrário de Vairão, Vairão, Portugal
- Departamento de Biologia, Faculdade de Ciências, Universidade do Porto, Porto, Portugal
- Wildlife Biology Program, Department of Ecosystem and Conservation Sciences, University of Montana, Missoula, USA
| | - Ettore Randi
- Department of Biological, Geological and Environmental Sciences, University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy
- Department of Chemistry and Bioscience, Faculty of Engineering and Science, University of Aalborg, Aalborg, Denmark
| | - Edoardo Velli
- Area per la Genetica della Conservazione (BIO-CGE), Istituto Superiore per la Protezione e la Ricerca Ambientale (ISPRA), Ozzano dell'Emilia, Italy
| | - Luca Pagani
- Dipartimento di Biologia, Università degli Studi di Padova, Padua, Italy
- Estonian Biocentre, Institute of Genomics, University of Tartu, Tartu, Estonia
| | - Romolo Caniglia
- Area per la Genetica della Conservazione (BIO-CGE), Istituto Superiore per la Protezione e la Ricerca Ambientale (ISPRA), Ozzano dell'Emilia, Italy
| |
Collapse
|
12
|
Kasper C, Colombo M, Aubin-Horth N, Taborsky B. Brain activation patterns following a cooperation opportunity in a highly social cichlid fish. Physiol Behav 2018; 195:37-47. [DOI: 10.1016/j.physbeh.2018.07.025] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/12/2018] [Revised: 07/21/2018] [Accepted: 07/25/2018] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
|
13
|
Derycke S, Kéver L, Herten K, Van den Berge K, Van Steenberge M, Van Houdt J, Clement L, Poncin P, Parmentier E, Verheyen E. Neurogenomic Profiling Reveals Distinct Gene Expression Profiles Between Brain Parts That Are Consistent in Ophthalmotilapia Cichlids. Front Neurosci 2018; 12:136. [PMID: 29593484 PMCID: PMC5855355 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2018.00136] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/08/2017] [Accepted: 02/20/2018] [Indexed: 01/22/2023] Open
Abstract
The detection of external and internal cues alters gene expression in the brain which in turn may affect neural networks that underly behavioral responses. Previous studies have shown that gene expression profiles differ between major brain regions within individuals and between species with different morphologies, cognitive abilities and/or behaviors. A detailed description of gene expression in all macroanatomical brain regions and in species with similar morphologies and behaviors is however lacking. Here, we dissected the brain of two cichlid species into six macroanatomical regions. Ophthalmotilapia nasuta and O. ventralis have similar morphology and behavior and occasionally hybridize in the wild. We use 3′ mRNA sequencing and a stage-wise statistical testing procedure to identify differential gene expression between females that were kept in a social setting with other females. Our results show that gene expression differs substantially between all six brain parts within species: out of 11,577 assessed genes, 8,748 are differentially expressed (DE) in at least one brain part compared to the average expression of the other brain parts. At most 16% of these DE genes have |log2FC| significantly higher than two. Functional differences between brain parts were consistent between species. The majority (61–79%) of genes that are DE in a particular brain part were shared between both species. Only 32 genes show significant differences in fold change across brain parts between species. These genes are mainly linked to transport, transmembrane transport, transcription (and its regulation) and signal transduction. Moreover, statistical equivalence testing reveals that within each comparison, on average 89% of the genes show an equivalent fold change between both species. The pronounced differences in gene expression between brain parts and the conserved patterns between closely related species with similar morphologies and behavior suggest that unraveling the interactions between genes and behavior will benefit from neurogenomic profiling of distinct brain regions.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Sofie Derycke
- Operational Direction Taxonomy and Phylogeny, Royal Belgian Institute for Natural Sciences, Brussels, Belgium.,Department of Biology, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Loic Kéver
- Laboratory of Functional and Evolutionary Morphology, University of Liège, Liège, Belgium.,Behavioural Biology Unit, Ethology and Animal Psychology, University of Liège, Liège, Belgium
| | - Koen Herten
- Department of Human Genetics, Genomics Core Facility, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Koen Van den Berge
- Department of Applied Mathematics, Computer Science and Statistics, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium.,Bioinformatics Institute Ghent, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Maarten Van Steenberge
- Operational Direction Taxonomy and Phylogeny, Royal Belgian Institute for Natural Sciences, Brussels, Belgium.,Section Vertebrates, Ichthyology, Royal Museum for Central Africa, Tervuren, Belgium
| | - Jeroen Van Houdt
- Department of Human Genetics, Genomics Core Facility, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Lieven Clement
- Department of Applied Mathematics, Computer Science and Statistics, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium.,Bioinformatics Institute Ghent, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Pascal Poncin
- Behavioural Biology Unit, Ethology and Animal Psychology, University of Liège, Liège, Belgium
| | - Eric Parmentier
- Laboratory of Functional and Evolutionary Morphology, University of Liège, Liège, Belgium
| | - Erik Verheyen
- Operational Direction Taxonomy and Phylogeny, Royal Belgian Institute for Natural Sciences, Brussels, Belgium
| |
Collapse
|
14
|
Ashbrook DG, Mulligan MK, Williams RW. Post-genomic behavioral genetics: From revolution to routine. GENES, BRAIN, AND BEHAVIOR 2018; 17:e12441. [PMID: 29193773 PMCID: PMC5876106 DOI: 10.1111/gbb.12441] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/04/2017] [Revised: 11/02/2017] [Accepted: 11/20/2017] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
What was once expensive and revolutionary-full-genome sequence-is now affordable and routine. Costs will continue to drop, opening up new frontiers in behavioral genetics. This shift in costs from the genome to the phenome is most notable in large clinical studies of behavior and associated diseases in cohorts that exceed hundreds of thousands of subjects. Examples include the Women's Health Initiative (www.whi.org), the Million Veterans Program (www. RESEARCH va.gov/MVP), the 100 000 Genomes Project (genomicsengland.co.uk) and commercial efforts such as those by deCode (www.decode.com) and 23andme (www.23andme.com). The same transition is happening in experimental neuro- and behavioral genetics, and sample sizes of many hundreds of cases are becoming routine (www.genenetwork.org, www.mousephenotyping.org). There are two major consequences of this new affordability of massive omics datasets: (1) it is now far more practical to explore genetic modulation of behavioral differences and the key role of gene-by-environment interactions. Researchers are already doing the hard part-the quantitative analysis of behavior. Adding the omics component can provide powerful links to molecules, cells, circuits and even better treatment. (2) There is an acute need to highlight and train behavioral scientists in how best to exploit new omics approaches. This review addresses this second issue and highlights several new trends and opportunities that will be of interest to experts in animal and human behaviors.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- D G Ashbrook
- Department of Genetics, Genomics and Informatics, University of Tennessee Health Sciences Center, College of Medicine, Memphis, Tennessee
| | - M K Mulligan
- Department of Genetics, Genomics and Informatics, University of Tennessee Health Sciences Center, College of Medicine, Memphis, Tennessee
| | - R W Williams
- Department of Genetics, Genomics and Informatics, University of Tennessee Health Sciences Center, College of Medicine, Memphis, Tennessee
| |
Collapse
|
15
|
Withee JR, Rehan SM. Social Aggression, Experience, and Brain Gene Expression in a Subsocial Bee. Integr Comp Biol 2017; 57:640-648. [DOI: 10.1093/icb/icx005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Jacob R. Withee
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of New Hampshire, 46 College Road, Durham, NH 03824, USA
| | - Sandra M. Rehan
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of New Hampshire, 46 College Road, Durham, NH 03824, USA
| |
Collapse
|
16
|
James N, Liu X, Bell A. A fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) protocol for stickleback tissue. EVOLUTIONARY ECOLOGY RESEARCH 2016; 17:603-617. [PMID: 29046617 PMCID: PMC5642962] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/07/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Threespine stickleback are an important model for behaviour and evolutionary studies. A growing number of quantitative trait loci (QTL) and gene expression studies are identifying genes related to ecologically important traits in sticklebacks. In order to visualize the expression of candidate genes, we developed a fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) protocol. METHODS We present a protocol for FISH on fresh or flash-frozen dissected tissue, using either cryo- or paraffin embedding. The protocol covers probe design guidelines and synthesis, sample embedding, sectioning, and the hybridization process. The protocol is optimized for brain tissue. Key steps for modifying the protocol for other tissues are noted. RESULTS The FISH protocol resulted in specific labelling under all combinations of dissection and embedding conditions. Paraffin embedding preserved morphology better than cryo-embedding. We provide representative results showing the expression of glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP), oxytocin receptor (OXTR), and tyrosine hydroxylase (TH) in the brain.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Noelle James
- Neuroscience Program, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois, USA
| | - Xiaochen Liu
- Carl R. Woese Institute for Genomic Biology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois, USA
| | - Alison Bell
- Neuroscience Program, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois, USA
- School of Integrative Biology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois, USA
| |
Collapse
|