Neurogenomic insights into paternal care and its relation to territorial aggression
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ABSTRACT:
PROVIDER: PRJNA555357 | ENA |
REPOSITORIES: ENA
Similar Datasets
Project description:Motherhood is characterized by dramatic changes in brain and behavior, but less is known about fatherhood. Here we report that male sticklebacks – a small fish in which fathers provide care – experience dramatic changes in neurogenomic state as they become fathers. Some genes are unique to different stages of paternal care, some genes are shared across stages, and some genes are added to the previously acquired neurogenomic state. Comparative genomic analysis suggests that some of these neurogenomic dynamics resemble changes associated with pregnancy and reproduction in mammalian mothers. Moreover, gene regulatory analysis identified transcription factors that are regulated in opposite directions in response to a territorial challenge versus during paternal care. Altogether these results show that some of the molecular mechanisms of parental care might be deeply conserved and might not be sex-specific, and suggest that tradeoffs between opposing social behaviors are managed at the gene regulatory level.
2019-09-15 | GSE134508 | GEO
Project description:Motherhood is characterized by dramatic changes in brain and behavior, but less is known about fatherhood. Here we report that male sticklebacks-a small fish in which fathers provide care-experience dramatic changes in neurogenomic state as they become fathers. Some genes are unique to different stages of paternal care, some genes are shared across stages, and some genes are added to the previously acquired neurogenomic state. Comparative genomic analysis suggests that some of these neurogenomic dynamics resemble changes associated with pregnancy and reproduction in mammalian mothers. Moreover, gene regulatory analysis identifies transcription factors that are regulated in opposite directions in response to a territorial challenge versus during paternal care. Altogether these results show that some of the molecular mechanisms of parental care might be deeply conserved and might not be sex-specific, and suggest that tradeoffs between opposing social behaviors are managed at the gene regulatory level.
| S-EPMC6768867 | biostudies-literature
Project description:The brain plays a critical role in upstream regulation of processes central to mating effort, parental effort, and self-maintenance. For seasonally breeding animals, the brain is likely mediating trade-offs among these processes within a short breeding season, yet research thus far has only explored neurogenomic changes from non-breeding to breeding states or select pathways (e.g., steroids) in male and/or lab-reared animals. Here, we use RNA-seq to explore neural plasticity in three behaviorally relevant neural tissues (ventromedial telencephalon [VmT], hypothalamus [HYPO], and hindbrain), comparing free-living female tree swallows (Tachycineta bicolor) as they shift from territory establishment to incubation. We additionally highlight changes in candidate aggression-related genes to explore the potential for a neurogenomic shift in the mechanisms regulating aggression, a critical behavior both in establishing and maintaining a territory and in defense of offspring. We found hundreds of differentially expressed genes in the VmT and HYPO. Enrichment analyses for the VmT revealed higher expression of genes related to neuroplasticity and processes beneficial for competition during territory establishment, but down-regulated immune processes. The HYPO showed signs of high neuroplasticity during incubation, and a decreased potential for glucocorticoid signaling. Furthermore, expression of aggression-related genes shifted from steroidal to non-steroidal pathways across the breeding season. Altogether, we found genomic signatures suggestive of trade-offs between enhanced activity and immunity in the VmT and between stress responsiveness and parental care in the HYPO, along with a potential shift in the mechanisms regulating aggression. These data highlight important gene regulatory pathways that may underlie behavioral plasticity in females.
2019-11-19 | GSE134939 | GEO
Project description:Male song sparrows (Melospiza melodia) are territorial year-round; however, neuroendocrine responses to simulated territorial intrusion (STI) differ between breeding (spring) and non-breeding seasons (autumn). In spring, exposure to STI leads to increases in luteinizing hormone and testosterone, but not in autumn. These observations suggest that there are fundamental differences in the mechanisms driving neuroendocrine responses to STI between seasons. Microarrays, spotted with EST cDNA clones of zebra finch, were used to explore gene expression profiles in the hypothalamus after territorial aggression in two different seasons. Free-living territorial male song sparrows were exposed to either conspecific or heterospecific (control) males in an STI in spring and autumn. Behavioral data were recorded, whole hypothalami were collected, and microarray hybridizations were performed. Quantitative PCR was performed for validation. Our results show 262 cDNAs were differentially expressed between spring and autumn in the control birds. There were 173 cDNAs significantly affected by STI in autumn; however, only 67 were significantly affected by STI in spring. There were 88 cDNAs that showed significant interactions in both season and STI. Results suggest that STI drives differential genomic responses in the hypothalamus in the spring vs. autumn. The number of cDNAs differentially expressed in relation to season was greater than in relation to social interactions, suggesting major underlying seasonal effects in the hypothalamus which may determine the differential response upon social interaction. Functional pathway analyses implicated genes that regulate thyroid hormone action and neuroplasticity as targets of this neuroendocrine regulation. For condition experiment, SC (spring control), AC (autumn control), SE (spring STI), AE (autumn STI) Biological replicates: 7 in SC, 8 in AC, SE, AE. One Melospiza melodia subject and one universal SoNG reference (pooled Taeniopygia guttata brain) per array.
2010-05-18 | E-GEOD-18970 | biostudies-arrayexpress
Project description:The importance of fathers' engagement in care and its critical role in the offspring’s cognitive and emotional development is now well established. Yet, little is known on the underlying neurobiology due to the lack of appropriate animal models. In the socially monogamous and bi-parental prairie vole (Microtus ochrogaster), while most virgin males show spontaneous paternal behaviors (Paternal), others display pup-directed aggression (Attackers). Here we took advantage of this phenotypic dichotomy and used RNA-sequencing in three important brain areas to characterize gene expression associated with paternal behaviors of Paternal males and compare it to experienced fathers and mothers. This strategy allowed the identification of spontaneous paternal behaviors independently from fatherhood and pair-bonding. While Paternal males displayed the same range and extent of paternal behaviors than experienced Fathers, the nucleus accumbens (NAc) and medial preoptic area (MPOA) transcriptomes mainly reflected pair-bonded status or sex differences, respectively. The lateral septum (LS) transcriptome, however, primarily reflected phenotypic differences between Paternal and Attackers and suggested the involvement of the mitochondria, RNA translation, and protein degradation processes. Altogether, these observations highlight a marked structure- and phenotype-specific pattern of gene expression underlying paternal behaviors in prairie voles and highlight similarities and differences from those underlying fatherhood.
2022-10-05 | GSE190213 | GEO
Project description:The neurogenomic transition from territory establishment to parenting in a territorial female songbird
| PRJNA556858 | ENA
Project description:Male song sparrows (Melospiza melodia) are territorial year-round; however, neuroendocrine responses to simulated territorial intrusion (STI) differ between breeding (spring) and non-breeding seasons (autumn). In spring, exposure to STI leads to increases in luteinizing hormone and testosterone, but not in autumn. These observations suggest that there are fundamental differences in the mechanisms driving neuroendocrine responses to STI between seasons. Microarrays, spotted with EST cDNA clones of zebra finch, were used to explore gene expression profiles in the hypothalamus after territorial aggression in two different seasons. Free-living territorial male song sparrows were exposed to either conspecific or heterospecific (control) males in an STI in spring and autumn. Behavioral data were recorded, whole hypothalami were collected, and microarray hybridizations were performed. Quantitative PCR was performed for validation. Our results show 262 cDNAs were differentially expressed between spring and autumn in the control birds. There were 173 cDNAs significantly affected by STI in autumn; however, only 67 were significantly affected by STI in spring. There were 88 cDNAs that showed significant interactions in both season and STI. Results suggest that STI drives differential genomic responses in the hypothalamus in the spring vs. autumn. The number of cDNAs differentially expressed in relation to season was greater than in relation to social interactions, suggesting major underlying seasonal effects in the hypothalamus which may determine the differential response upon social interaction. Functional pathway analyses implicated genes that regulate thyroid hormone action and neuroplasticity as targets of this neuroendocrine regulation.
2009-12-16 | GSE18970 | GEO
Project description:Modulation of action choices according to the environmental context is crucial for animal survival and reproductive success1. Aggression, despite its general importance as a social behavior2, can become detrimental if uncontrolled3,4. However, the genetic and neural basis for aggression control through active suppression remains largely unknown. Here we found nvy, a Drosophila homolog of vertebrate myeloid translocation gene (MTG)5 involved in transcriptional regulation6-8, suppresses aggression through a specific subset of neurons. Mutation of the nvy gene resulted in hyper-aggressiveness, which was rescued by neuronal expression of human MTGs as well as Drosophila nvy. The mutant exhibited persistent aggression under various contexts in which wild-type flies switch their behavioral patterns. Knockdown of nvy in octopaminergic/tyraminergic (OA/TA) neurons increased aggression, phenocopying the nvy deletion. Cell-type specific transcriptomics on OA/TA neurons derived from the nvy mutants revealed aggression-controlling genes that are likely downstream of nvy. Moreover, we found that the nvy-expressing OA/TA neuronal subpopulations specifically suppress aggression. Our results presents a powerful genetic model to unravel not only the neuronal systems that modulate aggression in a social context-dependent manner, but also the conserved molecular mechanism underlying the tumorigenesis caused by the MTG mutations.
2022-06-22 | GSE148630 | GEO
Project description:Genes relevant to manifestion of and variation in aggression behavior might be differentially expressed in lines selected for divergent levels of aggression. Keywords: selection group
2006-08-30 | GSE5404 | GEO
Project description:High frequency of physical aggression is the central feature of severe conduct disorder and is associated with a wide range of social, mental and physical health problems. We have previously tested the hypothesis that differential DNA methylation signatures in peripheral T cells are associated with a chronic aggression trajectory in males. Despite the fact that sex differences appear to play a pivotal role in determining the development, magnitude and frequency of aggression, most of previous studies focused on males, so little is known about female chronic physical aggression. We therefore tested here whether or not there is a signature of physical aggression in female DNA methylation and, if there is, how it relates to the signature observed in males. Genome-wide promoter methylation profiles of T cell DNA from adult females on a Chronic Physical Aggression (CPA, n=5) trajectory during childhood and adolescence were compared to those on normative physical aggression trajectories (NPA, n=14). Two technical replicates were generated for each individual.
2013-12-11 | E-GEOD-53192 | biostudies-arrayexpress