TY - JOUR
T1 - Transcriptomics of Parental Care in the Hypothalamic-Septal Region of Female Zebra Finch Brain
AU - Kumari, Rashmi
AU - Fazekas, Emese A.
AU - Morvai, Boglárka
AU - Udvari, Edina B.
AU - Dóra, Fanni
AU - Zachar, Gergely
AU - Székely, Tamás
AU - Pogány, Ákos
AU - Dobolyi, Árpád
N1 - Funding Information:
Funding: The work was supported by the Hungarian National Research, Development and Inno‐ vation Office OTKA K116538, OTKA K134221, OTKA FK 131966, NKFIH‐4300‐1/2017‐NKP_17‐ 00002 research grants, and Eötvös Loránd University Thematic Excellence Programme 2020 (TKP2020‐IKA‐05) supported by the National Research, Development and Innovation Office. Min‐ istry of Innovation and Technology of Hungary from the National Research, Development and In‐ novation Fund, financed under the code TKP2021‐EGA/TKP2021‐NVA/TKP2021‐NKTA. ÁP was supported by the János Bolyai Research Scholarship of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences and the ÚNKP‐20‐5 New National Excellence Program of the Ministry for Innovation and Technology from the source of the National Research, Development and Innovation Fund.
PY - 2022/3/1
Y1 - 2022/3/1
N2 - (1) Background: The objective of this study was to uncover genomic causes of parental care. Since birds do not lactate and, therefore, do not show the gene expressional changes required for lactation, we investigate gene expression associated with parenting in caring and non-caring females in an avian species, the small passerine bird zebra finch (Taeniopygia guttata). Here, we compare expression patterns in the hypothalamic-septal region since, previously, we showed that this area is activated in parenting females. (2) Methods: Transcriptome sequencing was first applied in a dissected part of the zebra finch brain related to taking care of the nestlings as compared to a control group of social pairs without nestlings. (3) Results: We found genes differentially expressed between caring and non-caring females. When introducing a log2fold change threshold of 1.5, 13 annotated genes were significantly upregulated in breeding pairs, while 39 annotated genes were downregulated. Significant enrichments of dopamine and acetylcholine biosynthetic processes were identified among upregulated pathways, while pro-opiomelanocortin and thyroid hormone pathways were downregulated, suggesting the importance of these systems in parental care. Network analysis further suggested neuro-immunological changes in mothers. (4) Conclusions: The results confirm the roles of several hypothesized major pathways in parental care, whereas novel pathways are also proposed.
AB - (1) Background: The objective of this study was to uncover genomic causes of parental care. Since birds do not lactate and, therefore, do not show the gene expressional changes required for lactation, we investigate gene expression associated with parenting in caring and non-caring females in an avian species, the small passerine bird zebra finch (Taeniopygia guttata). Here, we compare expression patterns in the hypothalamic-septal region since, previously, we showed that this area is activated in parenting females. (2) Methods: Transcriptome sequencing was first applied in a dissected part of the zebra finch brain related to taking care of the nestlings as compared to a control group of social pairs without nestlings. (3) Results: We found genes differentially expressed between caring and non-caring females. When introducing a log2fold change threshold of 1.5, 13 annotated genes were significantly upregulated in breeding pairs, while 39 annotated genes were downregulated. Significant enrichments of dopamine and acetylcholine biosynthetic processes were identified among upregulated pathways, while pro-opiomelanocortin and thyroid hormone pathways were downregulated, suggesting the importance of these systems in parental care. Network analysis further suggested neuro-immunological changes in mothers. (4) Conclusions: The results confirm the roles of several hypothesized major pathways in parental care, whereas novel pathways are also proposed.
KW - Gene expression
KW - Gene ontology
KW - Hypothalamic-septal region
KW - Parental care
KW - Posthatching period
KW - RNA-Seq
KW - Social behaviour
KW - Transcriptome sequencing
KW - Zebra finch mother
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85125587220&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.3390/ijms23052518
DO - 10.3390/ijms23052518
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:85125587220
VL - 23
JO - International Journal of Molecular Sciences
JF - International Journal of Molecular Sciences
SN - 1422-0067
IS - 5
M1 - 2518
ER -