1
|
Podraza ME, Moss JB, Fischer EK. Evidence for individual vocal recognition in a pair-bonding poison frog, Ranitomeya imitator. J Exp Biol 2024; 227:jeb246753. [PMID: 38229576 DOI: 10.1242/jeb.246753] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/18/2023] [Accepted: 01/05/2024] [Indexed: 01/18/2024]
Abstract
Individually distinctive vocalizations are widespread in nature, although the ability of receivers to discriminate these signals has only been explored through limited taxonomic and social lenses. Here, we asked whether anuran advertisement calls, typically studied for their role in territory defense and mate attraction, facilitate recognition and preferential association with partners in a pair-bonding poison frog (Ranitomeya imitator). Combining no- and two-stimulus choice playback experiments, we evaluated behavioral responses of females to male acoustic stimuli. Virgin females oriented to and approached speakers broadcasting male calls independent of caller identity, implying that females are generally attracted to male acoustic stimuli outside the context of a pair bond. When pair-bonded females were presented with calls of a mate and a stranger, they showed significant preference for calls of their mate. Moreover, behavioral responses varied with breeding status: females with eggs were faster to approach stimuli than females that were pair bonded but did not currently have eggs. Our study suggests a potential role for individual vocal recognition in the formation and maintenance of pair bonds in a poison frog and raises new questions about how acoustic signals are perceived in the context of monogamy and biparental care.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Molly E Podraza
- Department of Evolution, Ecology, and Behavior, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL 61801, USA
| | - Jeanette B Moss
- Department of Evolution, Ecology, and Behavior, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL 61801, USA
- Department of Biological Sciences, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA 24061, USA
| | - Eva K Fischer
- Department of Evolution, Ecology, and Behavior, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL 61801, USA
- Carl R. Woese Institute for Genomic Biology; University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL 61801, USA
- Department of Neurobiology, Physiology, and Behavior, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA 95616, USA
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Abstract
Amphibians exhibit an incredible diversity of reproductive and life-history strategies, including various forms of nest construction and nesting behaviour. Although anuran amphibians (frogs and toads) are not known for their nests, nesting behaviour in this clade-broadly defined as a location chosen or constructed for eggs and young-is tightly linked to the amphibious lifestyle of this group. Transitions to increasingly terrestrial living have driven reproductive diversity in anurans, including the repeated, independent evolution of nests and nesting. Indeed, a core feature of many notable anuran adaptations-including nesting behaviour-is the maintenance of an aquatic environment for developing offspring. The tight link between increasingly terrestrial reproduction and morphological, physiological and behavioural diversity in anurans provides inroads for studying the evolutionary ecology of nests, their architects and their contents. This review provides an overview of nests and nesting behaviour in anurans, highlighting areas where additional work may be particularly fruitful. I take an intentionally broad view of what constitutes nesting to highlight what we can learn from thinking and researching comparatively across anurans and vertebrates more broadly. This article is part of the theme issue 'The evolutionary ecology of nests: a cross-taxon approach'.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Eva K Fischer
- Department of Evolution, Ecology, and Behavior, School of Integrative Biology, University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign, IL 61801, USA
- Carl R. Woese Institute for Genomic Biology, University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign, IL 61801, USA
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Terrill Sondag EE, Stewart Merrill TE, Drnevich J, Holmes JR, Fischer EK, Cáceres CE, Strickland LR. Differential gene expression in response to fungal pathogen exposure in the aquatic invertebrate, Daphnia dentifera. Ecol Evol 2023; 13:e10354. [PMID: 37529587 PMCID: PMC10375369 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.10354] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/07/2023] [Revised: 06/05/2023] [Accepted: 07/12/2023] [Indexed: 08/03/2023] Open
Abstract
While vertebrate immune systems are appreciated for their complexity and adaptability, invertebrate immunity is often considered to be less complex. However, immune responses in many invertebrates likely involve sophisticated processes. Interactions between the crustacean host Daphnia dentifera and its fungal pathogen Metschnikowia bicuspidata provide an excellent model for exploring the mechanisms underlying crustacean immunity. To explore the genomic basis of immunity in Daphnia, we used RNA-sequencing technology to quantify differential gene expression between individuals of a single host genotype exposed or unexposed to M. bicuspidata over 24 h. Transcriptomic analyses showed that the number of differentially expressed genes between the control (unexposed) and experimental (exposed) groups increased over time. Gene ontology enrichment analysis revealed that differentially expressed genes were enriched for immune-related molecules and processes, such as cuticle development, prostaglandin, and defense response processes. Our findings provide a suite of immunologically relevant genes and suggest the presence of a rapidly upregulated immune response involving the cuticle in Daphnia. Studies involving gene expression responses to pathogen exposure shine a light on the processes occurring during the course of infection. By leveraging knowledge on the genetic basis for immunity, immune mechanisms can be more thoroughly understood to refine our understanding of disease spread within invertebrate populations.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Emily E. Terrill Sondag
- Department of Evolution, Ecology, and Behavior, School of Integrative BiologyUniversity of Illinois Urbana‐ChampaignUrbanaIllinoisUSA
| | - Tara E. Stewart Merrill
- Department of Evolution, Ecology, and Behavior, School of Integrative BiologyUniversity of Illinois Urbana‐ChampaignUrbanaIllinoisUSA
- Coastal and Marine LaboratoryFlorida State UniversitySt. TeresaFloridaUSA
| | - Jenny Drnevich
- High Performance Computing in BiologyUniversity of Illinois Urbana‐ChampaignUrbanaIllinoisUSA
| | - Jessica R. Holmes
- High Performance Computing in BiologyUniversity of Illinois Urbana‐ChampaignUrbanaIllinoisUSA
| | - Eva K. Fischer
- Department of Evolution, Ecology, and Behavior, School of Integrative BiologyUniversity of Illinois Urbana‐ChampaignUrbanaIllinoisUSA
| | - Carla E. Cáceres
- Department of Evolution, Ecology, and Behavior, School of Integrative BiologyUniversity of Illinois Urbana‐ChampaignUrbanaIllinoisUSA
| | | |
Collapse
|
4
|
Moss JB, Tumulty JP, Fischer EK. Evolution of acoustic signals associated with cooperative parental behavior in a poison frog. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2023; 120:e2218956120. [PMID: 37071680 PMCID: PMC10151463 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2218956120] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/05/2022] [Accepted: 03/09/2023] [Indexed: 04/19/2023] Open
Abstract
The emergence of complex social interactions is predicted to be an important selective force in the diversification of communication systems. Parental care presents a key social context in which to study the evolution of novel signals, as care often requires communication and behavioral coordination between parents and is an evolutionary stepping-stone toward increasingly complex social systems. Anuran amphibians (frogs and toads) are a classic model of acoustic communication and the vocal repertoires of many species have been characterized in the contexts of advertisement, courtship, and aggression, yet quantitative descriptions of calls elicited in the context of parental care are lacking. The biparental poison frog, Ranitomeya imitator, exhibits a remarkable parenting behavior in which females, cued by the calls of their male partners, feed tadpoles unfertilized eggs. Here, we characterized and compared calls across three social contexts, for the first time including a parental care context. We found that egg-feeding calls share some properties with both advertisement and courtship calls but also had unique properties. Multivariate analysis revealed high classification success for advertisement and courtship calls but misclassified nearly half of egg feeding calls as either advertisement or courtship calls. Egg feeding and courtship calls both contained less identity information than advertisement calls, as expected for signals used in close-range communication where uncertainty about identity is low and additional signal modalities may be used. Taken together, egg-feeding calls likely borrowed and recombined elements of both ancestral call types to solicit a novel, context-dependent parenting response.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Jeanette B. Moss
- Department of Evolution, Ecology, and Behavior, University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL61801
| | - James P. Tumulty
- Department of Biology, College of William and Mary, Williamsburg, VA23185
| | - Eva K. Fischer
- Department of Evolution, Ecology, and Behavior, University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL61801
| |
Collapse
|
5
|
Westrick SE, Moss JB, Fischer EK. Who cares? An integrative approach to understanding the evolution of behavioural plasticity in parental care. Anim Behav 2022. [DOI: 10.1016/j.anbehav.2022.10.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
|
6
|
Fischer EK, Hauber ME, Bell AM. Back to the basics? Transcriptomics offers integrative insights into the role of space, time and the environment for gene expression and behaviour. Biol Lett 2021; 17:20210293. [PMID: 34520681 DOI: 10.1098/rsbl.2021.0293] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Fuelled by the ongoing genomic revolution, broadscale RNA expression surveys are fast replacing studies targeting one or a few genes to understand the molecular basis of behaviour. Yet, the timescale of RNA-sequencing experiments and the dynamics of neural gene activation are insufficient to drive real-time switches between behavioural states. Moreover, the spatial, functional and transcriptional complexity of the brain (the most commonly targeted tissue in studies of behaviour) further complicates inference. We argue that a Central Dogma-like 'back-to-basics' assumption that gene expression changes cause behaviour leaves some of the most important aspects of gene-behaviour relationships unexplored, including the roles of environmental influences, timing and feedback from behaviour-and the environmental shifts it causes-to neural gene expression. No perfect experimental solutions exist but we advocate that explicit consideration, exploration and discussion of these factors will pave the way toward a richer understanding of the complicated relationships between genes, environments, brain gene expression and behaviour over developmental and evolutionary timescales.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Eva K Fischer
- Department of Evolution, Ecology, and Behavior, School of Integrative Biology, University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign, IL 61801, USA.,Carl R. Woese Institute for Genomic Biology, University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign, IL 61801, USA
| | - Mark E Hauber
- Department of Evolution, Ecology, and Behavior, School of Integrative Biology, University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign, IL 61801, USA.,Carl R. Woese Institute for Genomic Biology, University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign, IL 61801, USA
| | - Alison M Bell
- Department of Evolution, Ecology, and Behavior, School of Integrative Biology, University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign, IL 61801, USA.,Carl R. Woese Institute for Genomic Biology, University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign, IL 61801, USA
| |
Collapse
|
7
|
Fischer EK, Song Y, Hughes KA, Zhou W, Hoke KL. Nonparallel transcriptional divergence during parallel adaptation. Mol Ecol 2021; 30:1516-1530. [PMID: 33522041 DOI: 10.1111/mec.15823] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/20/2020] [Revised: 01/25/2021] [Accepted: 01/26/2021] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
How underlying mechanisms bias evolution toward predictable outcomes remains an area of active debate. In this study, we leveraged phenotypic plasticity and parallel adaptation across independent lineages of Trinidadian guppies (Poecilia reticulata) to assess the predictability of gene expression evolution during parallel adaptation. Trinidadian guppies have repeatedly and independently adapted to high- and low-predation environments in the wild. We combined this natural experiment with a laboratory breeding design to attribute transcriptional variation to the genetic influences of population of origin and developmental plasticity in response to rearing with or without predators. We observed substantial gene expression plasticity, as well as the evolution of expression plasticity itself, across populations. Genes exhibiting expression plasticity within populations were more likely to also differ in expression between populations, with the direction of population differences more likely to be opposite those of plasticity. While we found more overlap than expected by chance in genes differentially expressed between high- and low-predation populations from distinct evolutionary lineages, the majority of differentially expressed genes were not shared between lineages. Our data suggest alternative transcriptional configurations associated with shared phenotypes, highlighting a role for transcriptional flexibility in the parallel phenotypic evolution of a species known for rapid adaptation.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Eva K Fischer
- Department of Evolution, Ecology, and Behavior, University of Illinois, Urbana, IL, USA.,Department of Biology, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, USA
| | - Youngseok Song
- Department of Statistics, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, USA
| | - Kimberly A Hughes
- Department of Biological Science, Florida State University, Tallahassee, FL, USA
| | - Wen Zhou
- Department of Statistics, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, USA
| | - Kim L Hoke
- Department of Biology, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, USA
| |
Collapse
|
8
|
Fischer EK, Alvarez H, Lagerstrom KM, McKinney JE, Petrillo R, Ellis G, O'Connell LA. Neural correlates of winning and losing fights in poison frog tadpoles. Physiol Behav 2020; 223:112973. [DOI: 10.1016/j.physbeh.2020.112973] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/10/2020] [Revised: 05/13/2020] [Accepted: 05/18/2020] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
|
9
|
Moskowitz NA, Dorritie B, Fay T, Nieves OC, Vidoudez C, 2017 Biology Class CRL, 2017 Biotechnology Class M, Fischer EK, Trauger SA, Coloma LA, Donoso DA, O’Connell LA. Land use impacts poison frog chemical defenses through changes in leaf litter ant communities. Neotropical Biodiversity 2020. [DOI: 10.1080/23766808.2020.1744957] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/24/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Tammy Fay
- Masconomet Regional High School, Boxford, MA USA
| | | | - Charles Vidoudez
- Small Molecule Mass Spectrometry Facility, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | | | | | - Eva K. Fischer
- Department of Biology, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Sunia A. Trauger
- Small Molecule Mass Spectrometry Facility, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Luis A. Coloma
- Centro Jambatu De Investigación Y Conservación De Anfibios, Fundación Jambatu, San Rafael, Quito, Ecuador
| | - David A. Donoso
- Departamento De Biología, Escuela Politécnica Nacional, Quito, Ecuador
| | | |
Collapse
|
10
|
Fischer EK, O'Connell LA. Hormonal and neural correlates of care in active versus observing poison frog parents. Horm Behav 2020; 120:104696. [PMID: 31987899 DOI: 10.1016/j.yhbeh.2020.104696] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/12/2019] [Revised: 01/20/2020] [Accepted: 01/21/2020] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
The occasional reversal of sex-typical behavior suggests that many of the neural circuits underlying behavior are conserved between males and females and can be activated in response to the appropriate social condition or stimulus. Most poison frog species (Family Dendrobatidae) exhibit male uniparental care, but flexible compensation has been observed in some species, where females will take over parental care duties when males disappear. We investigated hormonal and neural correlates of sex-typical and sex-reversed parental care in a typically male uniparental species, the Dyeing Poison Frog (Dendrobates tinctorius). We first characterized hormone levels and whole brain gene expression across parental care stages during sex-typical care. Surprisingly, hormonal changes and brain gene expression differences associated with active parental behavior in males were mirrored in their non-caregiving female partners. To further explore the disconnect between neuroendocrine patterns and behavior, we characterized hormone levels and neural activity patterns in females performing sex-reversed parental care. In contrast to hormone and gene expression patterns, we found that patterns of neural activity were linked to the active performance of parental behavior, with sex-reversed tadpole transporting females exhibiting neural activity patterns more similar to those of transporting males than non-caregiving females. We suggest that parallels in hormones and brain gene expression in active and observing parents are related to females' ability to flexibly take over parental care in the absence of their male partners.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Eva K Fischer
- Department of Biology, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, United States of America
| | - Lauren A O'Connell
- Department of Biology, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, United States of America.
| |
Collapse
|
11
|
Lynch KS, Louder MIM, Friesen CN, Fischer EK, Xiang A, Steele A, Shalov J. Examining the disconnect between prolactin and parental care in avian brood parasites. Genes Brain Behav 2020; 19:e12653. [PMID: 32198809 DOI: 10.1111/gbb.12653] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/30/2019] [Revised: 02/20/2020] [Accepted: 03/17/2020] [Indexed: 01/16/2023]
Abstract
Prolactin is often referred to as the "parental hormone" but there are examples in which prolactin and parental behavior are disconnected. One intriguing example is in avian obligate brood parasites; species exhibiting high circulating prolactin but no parental care. To understand this disconnect, we examined transcriptional and behavioral responses to prolactin in brown-headed (Molothrus ater) and bronzed (M aeneus) brood parasitic cowbirds. We first examine prolactin-dependent regulation of transcriptome wide gene expression in the preoptic area (POA), a brain region associated with parental care across vertebrates. We next examined prolactin-dependent abundance of seven parental care-related candidate genes in hypothalamic regions that are prolactin-responsive in other avian species. We found no evidence of prolactin sensitivity in cowbirds in either case. To understand this prolactin insensitivity, we compared prolactin receptor transcript abundance between parasitic and nonparasitic species and between prolactin treated and untreated cowbirds. We observed significantly lower prolactin receptor transcript abundance in brown-headed but not bronzed cowbird POA compared with a nonparasite and no prolactin-dependent changes in either parasitic species. Finally, estrogen-primed female brown-headed cowbirds with or without prolactin treatment exhibited significantly greater avoidance of nestling begging stimuli compared with untreated birds. Taken together, our results suggest that modified prolactin receptor distributions in the POA and surrounding hypothalamic regions disconnect prolactin from parental care in brood parasitic cowbirds.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Kathleen S Lynch
- Department of Biology, Hofstra University, Hempstead, New York, USA
| | - Matthew I M Louder
- Department of Biology, East Carolina University, Greenville, North Carolina, USA.,International Research Center for Neurointelligence, University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan.,Department of Evolution, Ecology, and Behavior, University of Illinois, Urbana, Illinois, USA
| | - Caitlin N Friesen
- Department of Integrative Biology, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, Texas, USA
| | - Eva K Fischer
- Department of Evolution, Ecology, and Behavior, University of Illinois, Urbana, Illinois, USA
| | - Angell Xiang
- Department of Biology, Hofstra University, Hempstead, New York, USA
| | - Angela Steele
- Department of Biology, Hofstra University, Hempstead, New York, USA
| | - Julia Shalov
- Department of Biology, Hofstra University, Hempstead, New York, USA
| |
Collapse
|
12
|
Fischer EK, Roland AB, Moskowitz NA, Vidoudez C, Ranaivorazo N, Tapia EE, Trauger SA, Vences M, Coloma LA, O’Connell LA. Mechanisms of Convergent Egg Provisioning in Poison Frogs. Curr Biol 2019; 29:4145-4151.e3. [DOI: 10.1016/j.cub.2019.10.032] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/29/2019] [Revised: 08/09/2019] [Accepted: 10/17/2019] [Indexed: 01/30/2023]
|
13
|
Fischer EK, Roland AB, Moskowitz NA, Tapia EE, Summers K, Coloma LA, O'Connell LA. The neural basis of tadpole transport in poison frogs. Proc Biol Sci 2019; 286:20191084. [PMID: 31311480 DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2019.1084] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Parental care has evolved repeatedly and independently across animals. While the ecological and evolutionary significance of parental behaviour is well recognized, underlying mechanisms remain poorly understood. We took advantage of behavioural diversity across closely related species of South American poison frogs (Family Dendrobatidae) to identify neural correlates of parental behaviour shared across sexes and species. We characterized differences in neural induction, gene expression in active neurons and activity of specific neuronal types in three species with distinct care patterns: male uniparental, female uniparental and biparental. We identified the medial pallium and preoptic area as core brain regions associated with parental care, independent of sex and species. The identification of neurons active during parental care confirms a role for neuropeptides associated with care in other vertebrates as well as identifying novel candidates. Our work is the first to explore neural and molecular mechanisms of parental care in amphibians and highlights the potential for mechanistic studies in closely related but behaviourally variable species to help build a more complete understanding of how shared principles and species-specific diversity govern parental care and other social behaviour.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Eva K Fischer
- Department of Biology, Stanford University, 371 Serra Mall, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
| | | | - Nora A Moskowitz
- Department of Biology, Stanford University, 371 Serra Mall, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
| | - Elicio E Tapia
- Centro Jambatu de Investigación y Conservación de Anfibios, Fundación Otonga, Quito, Ecuador
| | - Kyle Summers
- Department of Biology, East Carolina University, Greenville, NC, USA
| | - Luis A Coloma
- Centro Jambatu de Investigación y Conservación de Anfibios, Fundación Otonga, Quito, Ecuador
| | - Lauren A O'Connell
- Department of Biology, Stanford University, 371 Serra Mall, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
| |
Collapse
|
14
|
Fischer EK, Nowicki JP, O'Connell LA. Evolution of affiliation: patterns of convergence from genomes to behaviour. Philos Trans R Soc Lond B Biol Sci 2019; 374:20180242. [PMID: 31154971 DOI: 10.1098/rstb.2018.0242] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Affiliative behaviours have evolved many times across animals. Research on the mechanisms underlying affiliative behaviour demonstrates remarkable convergence across species spanning wide evolutionary distances. Shared mechanisms have been identified with genomic approaches analysing genetic variants and gene expression differences as well as neuroendocrine and molecular approaches exploring the role of hormones and signalling molecules. We review the genomic and neural basis of pair bonding and parental care across diverse taxa to shed light on mechanistic patterns that underpin the convergent evolution of affiliative behaviour. We emphasize that mechanisms underlying convergence in complex phenotypes like affiliation should be evaluated on a continuum, where signatures of convergence may vary across levels of biological organization. In particular, additional comparative studies within and across major vertebrate lineages will be essential in resolving when and why shared neural substrates are repeatedly targeted in the independent evolution of affiliation, and how similar mechanisms are evolutionarily tuned to give rise to species-specific variations in behaviour. This article is part of the theme issue 'Convergent evolution in the genomics era: new insights and directions'.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Eva K Fischer
- Department of Biology, Stanford University , Stanford, CA 95305 , USA
| | - Jessica P Nowicki
- Department of Biology, Stanford University , Stanford, CA 95305 , USA
| | | |
Collapse
|
15
|
Lynch KS, O'Connell LA, Louder MIM, Balakrishnan CN, Fischer EK. Understanding the Loss of Maternal Care in Avian Brood Parasites Using Preoptic Area Transcriptome Comparisons in Brood Parasitic and Non-parasitic Blackbirds. G3 (Bethesda) 2019; 9:1075-1084. [PMID: 30760540 PMCID: PMC6469424 DOI: 10.1534/g3.118.200992] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/20/2018] [Accepted: 01/31/2019] [Indexed: 01/08/2023]
Abstract
Parental care is critical for offspring survival in many species. However, parental behaviors have been lost in roughly 1% of avian species known as the obligate brood parasites. To shed light on molecular and neurobiological mechanisms mediating brood parasitic behavior, we compared brain gene expression patterns between two brood parasitic species and one closely related non-parasitic Icterid (blackbird) species. Our analyses focused on gene expression changes specifically in the preoptic area (POA), a brain region known to play a critical role in parental behavior across vertebrates. Using comparative transcriptomic approaches, we identified gene expression patterns associated with brood parasitism. We evaluated three non-mutually exclusive alternatives for the evolution of brood parasitism: (1) retention of juvenile-like (neotenic) gene expression, (2) reduced expression of maternal care-related genes in the POA, and/or (3) increased expression of genes inhibiting maternal care. We find evidence for neotenic expression patterns in both species of parasitic cowbirds as compared to maternal, non-parasites. In addition, we observed differential expression in a number of genes with previously established roles in mediating maternal care. Together, these results provide the first insight into transcriptomic and genetic mechanisms underlying the loss of maternal behavior in avian brood parasites.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Matthew I M Louder
- Department of Biology, East Carolina University: Greenville, NC, 27858
- Department of Animal Biology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL 61801
| | | | - Eva K Fischer
- Department of Biology, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305
| |
Collapse
|
16
|
Moskowitz NA, Roland AB, Fischer EK, Ranaivorazo N, Vidoudez C, Aguilar MT, Caldera SM, Chea J, Cristus MG, Crowdis JP, DeMessie B, desJardins-Park CR, Effenberger AH, Flores F, Giles M, He EY, Izmaylov NS, Lee CC, Pagel NA, Phu KK, Rosen LU, Seda DA, Shen Y, Vargas S, Murray AW, Abebe E, Trauger SA, Donoso DA, Vences M, O’Connell LA. Seasonal changes in diet and chemical defense in the Climbing Mantella frog (Mantella laevigata). PLoS One 2018; 13:e0207940. [PMID: 30586404 PMCID: PMC6306172 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0207940] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/11/2018] [Accepted: 11/08/2018] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Poison frogs acquire chemical defenses from the environment for protection against potential predators. These defensive chemicals are lipophilic alkaloids that are sequestered by poison frogs from dietary arthropods and stored in skin glands. Despite decades of research focusing on identifying poison frog alkaloids, we know relatively little about how environmental variation and subsequent arthropod availability impacts alkaloid loads in poison frogs. We investigated how seasonal environmental variation influences poison frog chemical profiles through changes in the diet of the Climbing Mantella (Mantella laevigata). We collected M. laevigata females on the Nosy Mangabe island reserve in Madagascar during the wet and dry seasons and tested the hypothesis that seasonal differences in rainfall is associated with changes in diet composition and skin alkaloid profiles of M. laevigata. The arthropod diet of each frog was characterized into five groups (i.e. ants, termites, mites, insect larvae, or 'other') using visual identification and cytochrome oxidase 1 DNA barcoding. We found that frog diet differed between the wet and dry seasons, where frogs had a more diverse diet in the wet season and consumed a higher percentage of ants in the dry season. To determine if seasonality was associated with variation in frog defensive chemical composition, we used gas chromatography / mass spectrometry to quantify alkaloids from individual skin samples. Although the assortment of identified alkaloids was similar across seasons, we detected significant differences in the abundance of certain alkaloids, which we hypothesize reflects seasonal variation in the diet of M. laevigata. We suggest that these variations could originate from seasonal changes in either arthropod leaf litter composition or changes in frog behavioral patterns. Although additional studies are needed to understand the consequences of long-term environmental shifts, this work suggests that alkaloid profiles are relatively robust against short-term environmental perturbations.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Nora A. Moskowitz
- Department of Biology, Stanford University, Stanford, California, United States of America
| | - Alexandre B. Roland
- Center for Systems Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States of America
| | - Eva K. Fischer
- Department of Biology, Stanford University, Stanford, California, United States of America
| | - Ndimbintsoa Ranaivorazo
- Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, University of Antananarivo, Antananarivo, Madagascar
| | - Charles Vidoudez
- FAS Small Molecule Mass Spectrometry Facility, Harvard University, Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States of America
| | - Marianne T. Aguilar
- LS50: Integrated Science Freshman Class, Harvard University, Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States of America
| | - Sophia M. Caldera
- LS50: Integrated Science Freshman Class, Harvard University, Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States of America
| | - Jacqueline Chea
- LS50: Integrated Science Freshman Class, Harvard University, Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States of America
| | - Miruna G. Cristus
- LS50: Integrated Science Freshman Class, Harvard University, Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States of America
| | - Jett P. Crowdis
- LS50: Integrated Science Freshman Class, Harvard University, Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States of America
| | - Bluyé DeMessie
- LS50: Integrated Science Freshman Class, Harvard University, Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States of America
| | - Caroline R. desJardins-Park
- LS50: Integrated Science Freshman Class, Harvard University, Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States of America
| | - Audrey H. Effenberger
- LS50: Integrated Science Freshman Class, Harvard University, Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States of America
| | - Felipe Flores
- LS50: Integrated Science Freshman Class, Harvard University, Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States of America
| | - Michael Giles
- LS50: Integrated Science Freshman Class, Harvard University, Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States of America
| | - Emma Y. He
- LS50: Integrated Science Freshman Class, Harvard University, Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States of America
| | - Nike S. Izmaylov
- LS50: Integrated Science Freshman Class, Harvard University, Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States of America
| | - ChangWon C. Lee
- LS50: Integrated Science Freshman Class, Harvard University, Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States of America
| | - Nicholas A. Pagel
- LS50: Integrated Science Freshman Class, Harvard University, Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States of America
| | - Krystal K. Phu
- LS50: Integrated Science Freshman Class, Harvard University, Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States of America
| | - Leah U. Rosen
- LS50: Integrated Science Freshman Class, Harvard University, Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States of America
| | - Danielle A. Seda
- LS50: Integrated Science Freshman Class, Harvard University, Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States of America
| | - Yong Shen
- LS50: Integrated Science Freshman Class, Harvard University, Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States of America
| | - Santiago Vargas
- LS50: Integrated Science Freshman Class, Harvard University, Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States of America
| | - Andrew W. Murray
- Center for Systems Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States of America
- LS50: Integrated Science Freshman Class, Harvard University, Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States of America
| | - Eden Abebe
- Cambridge Rindge and Latin High School, Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States of America
| | - Sunia A. Trauger
- FAS Small Molecule Mass Spectrometry Facility, Harvard University, Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States of America
| | - David A. Donoso
- Departamento de Biología, Escuela Politécnica Nacional, Quito, Ecuador
| | - Miguel Vences
- Braunschweig University of Technology, Zoological Institute, Braunschweig, Germany
| | - Lauren A. O’Connell
- Department of Biology, Stanford University, Stanford, California, United States of America
- LS50: Integrated Science Freshman Class, Harvard University, Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States of America
- * E-mail:
| |
Collapse
|
17
|
Northcutt AJ, Fischer EK, Puhl JG, Mesce KA, Schulz DJ. An annotated CNS transcriptome of the medicinal leech, Hirudo verbana: De novo sequencing to characterize genes associated with nervous system activity. PLoS One 2018; 13:e0201206. [PMID: 30028871 PMCID: PMC6054404 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0201206] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/03/2018] [Accepted: 07/10/2018] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
The medicinal leech is one of the most venerated model systems for the study of fundamental nervous system principles, ranging from single-cell excitability to complex sensorimotor integration. Yet, molecular analyses have yet to be extensively applied to complement the rich history of electrophysiological study that this animal has received. Here, we generated the first de novo transcriptome assembly from the entire central nervous system of Hirudo verbana, with the goal of providing a molecular resource, as well as to lay the foundation for a comprehensive discovery of genes fundamentally important for neural function. Our assembly generated 107,704 contigs from over 900 million raw reads. Of these 107,704 contigs, 39,047 (36%) were annotated using NCBI's validated RefSeq sequence database. From this annotated central nervous system transcriptome, we began the process of curating genes related to nervous system function by identifying and characterizing 126 unique ion channel, receptor, transporter, and enzyme contigs. Additionally, we generated sequence counts to estimate the relative abundance of each identified ion channel and receptor contig in the transcriptome through Kallisto mapping. This transcriptome will serve as a valuable community resource for studies investigating the molecular underpinnings of neural function in leech and provide a reference for comparative analyses.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Adam J. Northcutt
- Division of Biological Sciences, University of Missouri-Columbia, Columbia, Missouri, United States of America
| | - Eva K. Fischer
- Department of Biology, Stanford University, Stanford, California, United States of America
| | - Joshua G. Puhl
- Department of Entomology and Graduate Program in Neuroscience, University of Minnesota, Saint Paul, Minnesota, United States of America
| | - Karen A. Mesce
- Department of Entomology and Graduate Program in Neuroscience, University of Minnesota, Saint Paul, Minnesota, United States of America
| | - David J. Schulz
- Division of Biological Sciences, University of Missouri-Columbia, Columbia, Missouri, United States of America
| |
Collapse
|
18
|
Fischer EK, O'Connell LA. Circuit Architecture Underlying Distinct Components of Parental Care. Trends Neurosci 2018; 41:334-336. [PMID: 29685403 DOI: 10.1016/j.tins.2018.04.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/29/2018] [Accepted: 04/07/2018] [Indexed: 10/17/2022]
Abstract
Parental care is a key evolutionary innovation that influences the fitness of parents and offspring. How the brain coordinates such a complex behavior remains poorly understood. Kohl and colleagues recently uncovered the organizational principles of hypothalamic galanin neurons and their connections in mice. Their findings revealed a striking picture in which discrete neuronal pools control distinct aspects of parental behavior.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Eva K Fischer
- Department of Biology, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, USA. https://twitter.com/evakfischer
| | | |
Collapse
|
19
|
Affiliation(s)
- Cameron K Ghalambor
- Department of Biology, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, Colorado 80523, USA.,Graduate Degree Program in Ecology, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, Colorado 80523, USA
| | - Kim L Hoke
- Department of Biology, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, Colorado 80523, USA.,Graduate Degree Program in Ecology, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, Colorado 80523, USA
| | - Emily W Ruell
- Department of Biology, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, Colorado 80523, USA
| | - Eva K Fischer
- Department of Biology, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, Colorado 80523, USA
| | - David N Reznick
- Department of Biology, University of California, Riverside, California 92521, USA
| | - Kimberly A Hughes
- Department of Biological Science, Florida State University, Tallahassee, Florida 32306-4295, USA
| |
Collapse
|
20
|
Ghalambor CK, Hoke KL, Ruell EW, Fischer EK, Reznick DN, Hughes KA. Erratum: Non-adaptive plasticity potentiates rapid adaptive evolution of gene expression in nature. Nature 2018; 555:688. [DOI: 10.1038/nature25499] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
|
21
|
Abstract
Adaptive trade-offs between foraging and social behavior intuitively explain many aspects of individual decision-making. Given the intimate connection between social behavior and feeding/foraging at the behavioral level, we propose that social behaviors are linked to foraging on a mechanistic level, and that modifications of feeding circuits are crucial in the evolution of complex social behaviors. In this Review, we first highlight the overlap between mechanisms underlying foraging and parental care and then expand this argument to consider the manipulation of feeding-related pathways in the evolution of other complex social behaviors. We include examples from diverse taxa to highlight that the independent evolution of complex social behaviors is a variation on the theme of feeding circuit modification.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Eva K Fischer
- Center for Systems Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA 02138, USA
| | - Lauren A O'Connell
- Center for Systems Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA 02138, USA
| |
Collapse
|
22
|
Fischer EK, Ghalambor CK, Hoke KL. Can a Network Approach Resolve How Adaptive vs Nonadaptive Plasticity Impacts Evolutionary Trajectories? Integr Comp Biol 2016; 56:877-888. [DOI: 10.1093/icb/icw087] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
|
23
|
Fischer EK. Flexibility and Constraint in the Evolution of Gene Expression and Behavior. Brain Behav Evol 2016; 87:1-3. [PMID: 26771304 DOI: 10.1159/000442436] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/05/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Eva K Fischer
- Department of Biology, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, Colo., USA
| |
Collapse
|
24
|
Affiliation(s)
- Eva K. Fischer
- Department of Biology; Colorado State University; Fort Collins CO USA
| | | | - Kim L. Hoke
- Department of Biology; Colorado State University; Fort Collins CO USA
| | - Daphne Soares
- Department of Biological Science; New Jersey Institute of Technology; University Heights; Newark NJ USA
| |
Collapse
|
25
|
Fischer EK, Harris RM, Hofmann HA, Hoke KL. Predator exposure alters stress physiology in guppies across timescales. Horm Behav 2014; 65:165-72. [PMID: 24370688 DOI: 10.1016/j.yhbeh.2013.12.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 54] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/05/2013] [Revised: 12/13/2013] [Accepted: 12/15/2013] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
In vertebrates, glucocorticoids mediate a wide-range of responses to stressors. For this reason, they are implicated in adaptation to changes in predation pressure. Trinidadian guppies (Poecilia reticulata) from high-predation environments have repeatedly and independently colonized and adapted to low-predation environments, resulting in parallel changes in life history, morphology, and behavior. We validated methods for non-invasive waterborne hormone sample collection in this species, and used this technique to examine genetic and environmental effects of predation on basal glucocorticoid (cortisol) levels. To examine genetic differences, we compared waterborne cortisol levels in high- and low-predation fish from two distinct population pairs. We found that fish from high-predation localities had lower cortisol levels than their low-predation counterparts. To isolate environmental influences, we compared waterborne cortisol levels in genetically similar fish reared with and without exposure to predator chemical cues. We found that fish reared with predator chemical cues had lower waterborne cortisol levels than those reared without. Comparisons of waterborne and whole-body cortisol levels demonstrated that populations differed in overall cortisol levels in the body, whereas rearing conditions altered the release of cortisol from the body into the water. Thus, evolutionary history with predators and lifetime exposure to predator cues were both associated with lower cortisol release, but depended on distinct physiological mechanisms.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Eva K Fischer
- Department of Biology, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO 80523, USA.
| | - Rayna M Harris
- Department of Integrative Biology, Institute for Cellular & Molecular Biology, The University of Texas at Austin, 78712, USA
| | - Hans A Hofmann
- Department of Integrative Biology, Institute for Cellular & Molecular Biology, The University of Texas at Austin, 78712, USA; Institute for Neuroscience, The University of Texas at Austin, 78712, USA
| | - Kim L Hoke
- Department of Biology, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO 80523, USA
| |
Collapse
|
26
|
Fischer EK, Soares D, Archer KR, Ghalambor CK, Hoke KL. Genetically and environmentally mediated divergence in lateral line morphology in the Trinidadian guppy (Poecilia reticulata). J Exp Biol 2013; 216:3132-42. [DOI: 10.1242/jeb.081349] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
Summary
Fish and other aquatic vertebrates use their mechanosensory lateral line to detect objects and motion in their immediate environment. Differences in lateral line morphology have been extensively characterized among species, however intraspecific variation remains largely unexplored. In addition, little is known about how environmental factors modify development of lateral line morphology. Predation is one environmental factor that can act both as a selective pressure causing genetic differences between populations, and as a cue during development to induce plastic changes. Here, we test if variation in the risk of predation within and among populations of Trinidadian guppies (Poecilia reticulata) influences lateral line morphology. We compared neuromast arrangement in wild-caught guppies from distinct high- and low-predation population pairs to examine patterns associated with differences in predation pressure. To distinguish genetic and environmental influences, we compared neuromast arrangement in guppies from different source populations reared with and without exposure to predator chemical cues. We found that the distribution of neuromasts across the body varies between populations based on both genetic and environmental factors. To the best of our knowledge, this study is the first to demonstrate variation in lateral line morphology based on environmental exposure to an ecologically relevant stimulus.
Collapse
|
27
|
Wall VL, Fischer EK, Bland ST. Isolation rearing attenuates social interaction-induced expression of immediate early gene protein products in the medial prefrontal cortex of male and female rats. Physiol Behav 2012; 107:440-50. [PMID: 22982514 PMCID: PMC4529065 DOI: 10.1016/j.physbeh.2012.09.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 83] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/04/2012] [Revised: 07/19/2012] [Accepted: 09/09/2012] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
Early life adversity and stress in humans have been related to a number of psychological disorders including anxiety, depression, and addiction. The present study used isolation rearing, a well-characterized animal model of early life adversity, to examine its effects on social behavior and immediate early gene (IEG) expression produced by exposure to a novel social experience. Male and female rats were housed in same-sex groups or in isolation for 4 weeks beginning at weaning and were tested during late adolescence. The protein products of the IEGs c-fos and Arc, as well as the neurotrophic factor BDNF were assessed in medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) subregions (anterior cingulate, prelimbic and infralimbic) using immunohistochemistry. Aggressive and non-aggressive behaviors during novel social exposure were also assessed. Exposure to a novel conspecific produced increases in Arc and c-fos activation in the mPFC of group reared animals in a sex- and subregion-dependent fashion compared to no social exposure controls, but this increase was blunted or absent in isolated animals. Isolates engaged in more social interactions and more aggressive behavior than group reared rats. Sex differences in some behaviors as well as in Arc and BDNF expression were observed. These results indicate that isolation rearing alters IEG activation in the mPFC produced by exposure to a novel conspecific, in addition to changing social behavior, and that these effects depend in part on sex.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Vanessa L. Wall
- Department of Psychology, University of Colorado Denver, Denver, CO
| | - Eva K. Fischer
- Department of Biology, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO
| | - Sondra T. Bland
- Department of Psychology, University of Colorado Denver, Denver, CO
| |
Collapse
|