Cave fish as a model to elucidate the genetic basis of the evolution of behavior

在过去的几十年里，大量的研究阐明了形态变异的遗传基础。相比之下，关于行为背后的遗传学的研究相对较少，特别是关于进化产生的行为特征差异的研究。洞穴鱼Astyanax mexicanus为研究行为特征进化的遗传基础提供了一个美丽的系统。这些洞穴动物相对于它们的河流表亲表现出一系列的行为适应，这对洞穴中的生存至关重要。由于表面形式仍然存在，并且与生活在洞穴中的那些完全互作，QTL分析和序列比较是可能的。我建议确定先前已被证明具有遗传贡献的行为特征的遗传基础，包括上学和喂养。通过适应不同的遗传工具，可用于其他鱼类模型的Astyanax系统，我建议分析所确定的基因的功能，以了解它们的功能在神经行为方面。在洞穴鱼类中找到行为背后的基因对于理解进化转变和物种形成非常重要，也可能间接有助于理解控制人类行为的复杂网络。

A wealth of studies elucidating the genetic basis of morphological variation has been performed in the last decades. In comparison, there have been relatively few studies addressing the genetics underlying behavior, especially regarding differences in behavioral traits arising through evolution. The cave fish Astyanax mexicanus provides a beautiful system to study the genetic basis of the evolution of behavioral traits. These cave animals display a series of behavioral adaptations relative to their river cousins that are of importance for survival in caves. As the surface form still exists and is fully interfertile with those living in the caves, QTL analysis and sequence comparisons are possible. I propose to identify the genetic basis of behavioral traits that have been previously shown to have a genetic contribution, including schooling and feeding. By adapting different genetic tools available for other fish models to the Astyanax system I propose to analyze the function of the identified genes to understand their function in a neurobehavioral context. Finding the genes underlying behavior in the cave fish will be important in understanding evolutionary transitions and speciation and may also contribute indirectly to the understanding of the complex networks controlling human behavior.