RUI: Molecular Modules of Aggression; Maternal Behavior in the African Cichlid Astatotilapia Burtoni

在所有动物中，攻击是一种复杂的社会行为，具有多种原因和表现形式。越来越多的证据表明，不同的机制构成了不同形式的攻击。该项目研究了不同形式的非洲慈鱼Astatotilapia burtoni的攻击性。该物种雄性动物的攻击性与领地有关，并受社会因素和睾丸素的调节。之前的研究已经确定了导致男性攻击性水平变化的大脑区域、生理机制和基因表达模式。实验室的雌性动物既不关心自己的幼崽，也没有表现出刻板的攻击性。然而，攻击性可以在实验室里通过操纵社会环境来诱导。这种形式的女性攻击性，就像男性一样，与睾丸激素水平升高有关。最近对一只新获得的野生种群的观察揭示了一种“好母亲”的表型，其中包括保护自由游泳鱼苗的防御性攻击性。这一新的库存将允许比较与不同水平的母亲攻击性相关的不同激素水平。此外，可用于该物种的基因组工具(cDNA微阵列)将使识别与母体攻击有关的基因表达成为可能。然后，可以比较自然母性攻击、诱导性女性攻击和领土男性攻击之间的基因表达模式。这项工作将回答有关调节每种攻击形式的基因组之间重叠程度的问题，并将识别与男性、女性和/或母体攻击形式唯一相关的基因表达模式的特定亚组。通过生物系的雷恩实验室和数学系的琼斯团队的合作，里德学院的本科生将从事尖端基因组研究，并对包含行为、生理和基因表达测量的数据集进行严格的统计分析。

In all animals, aggression is a complex social behavior with multiple causes and manifestations. Growing evidence suggests that different mechanisms underlie different forms of aggression. This project examines different forms of aggression in the African cichlid fish Astatotilapia burtoni. Aggression in males of this species is associated with territoriality and is regulated by social factors and testosterone. Previous research has identified brain regions, physiological mechanisms and patterns of gene expression that underlie the variety of aggression levels in males. Laboratory stock females do not care for their young nor do they show stereotypical forms of aggression. However, aggression can be induced in the laboratory through manipulation of the social environment. This form of female aggression, as in males, is associated with elevated testosterone levels. Recent observations of a newly acquired wild stock reveal a "good mother" phenotype that includes defensive aggression to protect free-swimming fry. This new stock will allow a comparison of different hormone levels correlated with different levels of maternal aggression. Furthermore, the availability of genomic tools for this species (a cDNA microarray) will allow the identification of gene expression associated with maternal aggression. The pattern of gene expression can be then compared between natural maternal aggression, induced female aggression and territorial male aggression. This work will answer questions regarding the extent of overlap between the gene sets that regulate each of these forms of aggression and will identify specific subsets of the gene expression pattern that are uniquely associated with male, female, and/or maternal forms of aggression. Through collaboration between the Renn Lab in the biology department and the Jones team in the math department, undergraduates at Reed College will engage in cutting edge genomic research and rigorous statistical analysis of datasets incorporating measures of behavior, physiology and gene expression.