Genetical Genomics of Behavior: A Novel Chicken Genomic Model for Anxiety Behavior

Overview

Journal Genetics

Publisher Oxford University Press

Specialty Genetics

Date 2016 Jan 7

PMID 26733665

Citations 33

Authors

Martin Johnsson

Michael J Williams

Per Jensen

Dominic Wright

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

The identification of genetic variants responsible for behavioral variation is an enduring goal in biology, with wide-scale ramifications, ranging from medical research to evolutionary theory on personality syndromes. Here, we use for the first time a large-scale genetical genomics analysis in the brains of chickens to identify genes affecting anxiety as measured by an open field test. We combine quantitative trait locus (QTL) analysis in 572 individuals and expression QTL (eQTL) analysis in 129 individuals from an advanced intercross between domestic chickens and Red Junglefowl. We identify 10 putative quantitative trait genes affecting anxiety behavior. These genes were tested for an association in the mouse Heterogeneous Stock anxiety (open field) data set and human GWAS data sets for bipolar disorder, major depressive disorder, and schizophrenia. Although comparisons between species are complex, associations were observed for four of the candidate genes in mice and three of the candidate genes in humans. Using a multimodel approach we have therefore identified a number of putative quantitative trait genes affecting anxiety behavior, principally in chickens but also with some potentially translational effects as well. This study demonstrates that chickens are an excellent model organism for the genetic dissection of behavior.

Citing Articles

Genetic Diversity, Runs of Homozygosity, and Selection Signatures in Native Japanese Chickens: Insights from Single-Nucleotide Polymorphisms.

Velasco V, Tsudzuki M, Hashimoto N, Goto N, Ishikawa A Animals (Basel). 2024; 14(22).

PMID: 39595393 PMC: 11591434. DOI: 10.3390/ani14223341.

The Influence of Cecal Microbiota Transplantation on Chicken Injurious Behavior: Perspective in Human Neuropsychiatric Research.

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The regulation of methylation on the Z chromosome and the identification of multiple novel Male Hyper-Methylated regions in the chicken.

Hoglund A, Henriksen R, Churcher A, Guerrero-Bosagna C, Martinez-Barrio A, Johnsson M PLoS Genet. 2024; 20(3):e1010719.

PMID: 38457441 PMC: 10954189. DOI: 10.1371/journal.pgen.1010719.

Identification of candidate genes responsible for innate fear behavior in the chicken.

Ochiai T, Sakaguchi M, Kawakami S, Ishikawa A G3 (Bethesda). 2022; 13(2).

PMID: 36454218 PMC: 9911055. DOI: 10.1093/g3journal/jkac316.

Structural variation and eQTL analysis in two experimental populations of chickens divergently selected for feather-pecking behavior.

Falker-Gieske C, Bennewitz J, Tetens J Neurogenetics. 2022; 24(1):29-41.

PMID: 36449109 PMC: 9823035. DOI: 10.1007/s10048-022-00705-5.

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