Social and Gonadal Control of Neural Gene Expression

神经基因表达的社会和性腺控制

• 批准号: 0416926
• 负责人: Mary Beth Hawkins
• 金额: --
• 依托单位: North Carolina State University
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Continuing Grant
• 财政年份: 2005
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2005-01-15 至 2009-12-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=0416926&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: Social; Gonadal; Control; Neural; Gene

Sexual differentiation of the brain and behavior results from internal and environmental cues influencing the expression of genes. Through studies in a variety of systems, it is becoming clear that different mechanisms can affect this differentiation and often lead to similar patterns of behavioral expression. The mechanisms by which reproductive hormones influence the sexual differentiation of brain and behavior are well researched, but those by which environmental cues exert their influence are less well understood. Bluehead wrasses, found in coral reefs, change their sex from females to males on becoming the dominant members of their social groups. Male behavior develops immediately, and functional testes develop within ten days. Importantly, the behavioral parts of this sex change can even occur in females whose ovaries have been removed. The goal of this project is to better characterize behavioral and gene expression changes induced by social interactions and steroid hormones during sex change. The first study will compare the expression of estrogen receptors and a key estrogen-producing enzyme across the sexes and sex change. The second study will contrast patterns of gene expression in the brain across the sexes and sex change using genomic tools (microarrays). Finally, gonadal and social influences on gene expression will be experimentally separated during sex change to assess their separate and combined effects. This project should identify key gene expression influences of social interactions on the nervous system and mechanisms underlying sexual and aggressive behavior. Aggressive behavior has enormous societal costs and a better understanding of social influences on the neural substrates of aggression is needed. Also, the increasing importance of aquaculture in the United States makes a better understanding of the control of sexual behavior and reproduction in fishes critical. Finally, this project will provide valuable training for graduate and undergraduate students in the integrated study of behavior, neuroendocrinology, and genomic biology.

大脑和行为的性别分化是由影响基因表达的内部和环境线索引起的。通过对各种系统的研究，越来越清楚的是，不同的机制可以影响这种分化，并往往导致类似的行为表达模式。生殖激素影响大脑和行为的性别分化的机制已经得到了很好的研究，但环境线索发挥其影响的机制还不太清楚。 在珊瑚礁中发现的蓝头濑鱼，在成为其社会群体的主要成员时，从雌性变成雄性。 男性行为立即发育，功能性睾丸在十天内发育。重要的是，这种性别变化的行为部分甚至可以发生在卵巢被切除的女性身上。该项目的目标是更好地表征在性别改变过程中由社会互动和类固醇激素引起的行为和基因表达变化。 第一项研究将比较不同性别和性别变化的雌激素受体和一种关键的雌激素产生酶的表达。第二项研究将使用基因组工具（微阵列）对比不同性别和性别变化的大脑基因表达模式。 最后，性腺和社会对基因表达的影响将在性别变化过程中进行实验分离，以评估其单独和综合影响。 该项目应确定社会互动对神经系统的关键基因表达影响以及性和攻击行为的潜在机制。攻击性行为具有巨大的社会成本，需要更好地了解社会对攻击性神经基质的影响。 此外，美国水产养殖的重要性日益增加，这使得更好地了解鱼类性行为和生殖的控制至关重要。 最后，本计画将为研究生与本科生提供行为学、神经内分泌学与基因生物学整合研究的宝贵训练。