Integrative and genomics approach to the study of the molecular bases of dominance in an African cichlid fish

行为生物学的一个基本目标是了解有多少和哪些类型的基因和激素参与了社会有机体中不同行为的形成。我的研究项目的长期目标是确定脊椎动物社会行为背后的分子和内分泌机制，以进一步了解行为的近因和终极原因。我研究的是波托尼星罗非鱼（Astatotilapia burtoni）的雄性，这是一种群居的非洲鲷鱼，具有很强的统治等级。目标1。研究个体在压力应对方式（也称为气质）上的差异，以表征该物种的气质差异，并调查大胆（低压力反应）和害羞（高压力反应）的雄性在攻击行为上是否也存在差异，以及气质是否随时间稳定。此外，我将探讨激素水平在大胆和害羞的男性之间是如何变化的，以及哪种类型的基因在不同气质的男性的大脑中表达不同。目标2。利用综合生物学方法，结合基因组学、内分泌学和行为生物学技术，揭示波氏单胞杆菌中显性表达变化基因的功能。我将化学操作这些候选基因的产物，并评估它们对行为、生理、激素和基因表达的个体和联合影响。为了实现这两个目标，微阵列将用于比较样品（大胆/害羞，对照/操纵的雄性）之间的基因表达，一次数千个基因。这些发现将对分子生物学、内分泌学和行为生物学领域的基础知识以及畜牧业（水产养殖）和物种保护策略的应用知识作出重大贡献。这个研究项目将为加拿大做出持久的贡献，因为从长远来看，我的发现有可能被研究人员应用于其他脊椎动物的行为研究，包括医学背景下的人类。它将有助于在最新分子生物学技术方面培训加拿大高素质人才，并有助于将创新型基因组学研究置于加拿大生命科学的前沿。

Understanding how many and which types of genes and hormones are involved in shaping different behaviours in social organisms is a fundamental goal of behavioural biology. The long-term objective of my research program is to identify the molecular and endocrine mechanisms that underlie social behaviour in vertebrates to further our understanding of the proximate and ultimate causes of behaviour. I study males of Astatotilapia burtoni, a group-living African cichlid fish with strong dominance hierarchies. Goal 1. To study variation among individuals in stress coping styles, also called temperament, to characterize variation in temperament in this species and to invesitigate if bold (low stress response) and shy (high stress response) males also vary in aggressive behaviour and if temperament is stable over time. Moreover, I will explore how hormone levels vary between bold and shy males and which type of genes vary in expression in the brain of males of different temperaments. Goal 2. To uncover the function of genes that vary in expression with dominance in A. burtoni by the use of an integrative biology approach that combines genomics, endocrinology and behaviour biology techniques. I will chemically manipulate the products of these candidate genes and assess their individual and joint effects on behaviour, physiology, hormones, and gene expression. To achieve both goals, microarrays will be used to compare gene expression between samples (bold/shy, control/manipulated male), for thousands of genes at a time. These findings will significantly contribute to fundamental knowledge in the fields of molecular biology, endocrinology and behavioural biology and to applied knowledge in animal husbandry (aquaculture) and species conservation strategies. This research program will make a lasting contribution to Canada as in the long term my findings have the potential to be applied by researchers to the study of behaviour in other vertebrates, including humans in a medical context. It will contribute to training of Canadian highly qualified personnel in the latest molecular biology techniques and to the initiative to put innovative genomics-oriented research at the forefront of life sciences in Canada.