Resource development for a new model of social threat response

描述（申请人提供）：社会行为变异的潜在遗传基础引起了人们的强烈兴趣，但只有少数基因与脊椎动物的特定社会行为有关。因此，有一个强烈的需要，以确定人口，人类或其他，其中有明确的基因和社会行为之间的联系。在拟议的项目中，将开发资源，以利用一个独特的适合模型，白喉麻雀。雄性和雌性的这种丰富的北美鸣禽发生在两个羽毛形态，不同的染色体重排（ZAL 2 m）的存在，预测社会威胁的反应。鸟类的白色条纹（WS）的羽毛形态（ZAL 2 m/ZAL 2）的领土入侵与高水平的语音侵略，而鸟类的棕褐色条纹（TS）的形态（ZAL 2/ZAL 2）的响应相对较少或没有语音侵略。变体也不同方面的社会附件和父母的供应率的形成，因此，表型的特点是一套相关的复杂性状与离散的遗传基础。这项研究计划的长期目标是充分利用这种独特的模式生物，它在社会行为的许多方面与人类相似，以前所未有的方式将基因表达和复杂行为联系起来。ZAL 2和ZAL 2 m单倍型之间有限的基因流动导致重排的染色体区域的遗传分化，导致单核苷酸多态性和其他变化的积累。该提案的主要目标是评估这些遗传力量对基因组和大脑转录组的影响，从而为在未来的研究中确定行为失调的分子机制奠定基础。我们将联合收割机结合两个PI的经验：一个在野生麻雀的行为神经内分泌学方面有专长，另一个在基因组进化方面有专长。在目标1中，我们将识别和评估两种单倍型之间的序列差异，这将揭示大量潜在的功能多态性，然后可以通过实验进行探索。在目标2中，我们将使用下一代技术对在自然环境中量化反应性攻击的个体的总mRNA进行测序。然后，我们将使用加权基因共表达网络分析（WGCNA）的映射和定量读取，以确定模块的高度相关的基因与变形和反应性侵略。这两个目标将共同揭示潜在的社会战略机制。这个探索性项目将侧重于对社会威胁的反应，这是很难在自然环境中研究人类的。所有的行为操作和测量都将在动物的自然栖息地进行，这使得该项目极具创新性。该项目意义重大，因为 许多精神障碍-包括孤独症、抑郁症、双相情感障碍和精神分裂症-的特征在于对社会威胁的失调反应，并且因为反应性攻击常常与冒险、药物滥用和犯罪行为共病。因此，了解应对社会威胁的潜在机制对人类健康至关重要。

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): The underlying genetic basis of variation in social behavior is of intense interest, yet only a handful of genes have been linked to specific social behaviors in vertebrates. Thus, there is a strong need to identify populations, human or otherwise, in which there is clear linkage between genes and social behavior. In the proposed project, resources will be developed to take advantage of a uniquely suited model, the white-throated sparrow. Males and females of this abundant North American songbird occur in two plumage morphs that differ with respect to the presence of a chromosomal rearrangement (ZAL2m) that predicts responses to social threat. Birds of the white-striped (WS) plumage morph (ZAL2m/ZAL2) respond to a territorial intrusion with high levels of vocal aggression, whereas birds of the tan-striped (TS) morph (ZAL2/ZAL2) respond with relatively little or no vocal aggression. The morphs also differ with respect to the formation of social attachments and parental provisioning rates; the phenotypes are thus characterized by a suite of correlated complex traits with a discrete genetic basis. The long-term goal of this research program is to fully exploit this unique model organism, which resembles humans with respect to many aspects of social behavior, to link gene expression and complex behavior in ways never before possible. Limited gene flow between the ZAL2 and ZAL2m haplotypes has led to the genetic differentiation of the rearranged chromosomal region, resulting in the accumulation of single nucleotide polymorphisms and other changes. The primary objective of this proposal is to assess the impact of these genetic forces on the genome and brain transcriptome, thus laying the groundwork to identify molecular mechanisms of behavioral dysregulation in future studies. We will combine the experience of two PIs: one with expertise in the behavioral neuroendocrinology of wild sparrows and the other in genome evolution. In Aim 1, we will identify and evaluate sequence differences between the two haplotypes, which will reveal a large number of potential functional polymorphisms that can then be explored experimentally. In Aim 2, we will use Next Generation techniques to sequence total mRNA from individuals for whom reactive aggression was quantified in a natural setting. We will then use weighted gene coexpression network analysis (WGCNA) of the mapped and quantified reads to identify modules of highly correlated genes associated with morph and reactive aggression. Together, the two aims will reveal candidate mechanisms underlying social strategies. This exploratory project will focus on responses to social threat, which are difficult to study in humans in a naturalistic setting. All behavioral manipulations and measurement will be conducted in the animals' natural habitat, making this project highly innovative. The project is significant because many mental disorders-including autism, depression, bipolar disorder and schizophrenia are characterized by dysregulated responses to social threat and because reactive aggression is often comorbid with risk-taking, substance abuse, and criminal behavior. Thus an understanding of the mechanisms underlying response to social threat is important for human health.