Mello C V, Vicario D S, Clayton D F
Laboratory of Animal Behavior, Rockefeller University, New York, NY 10021.
Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 1992 Aug 1;89(15):6818-22. doi: 10.1073/pnas.89.15.6818.
We investigated the participation of genomic regulatory events in the response of the songbird brain to a natural auditory stimulus of known physiological and behavioral relevance, birdsong. Using in situ hybridization, we detected a rapid increase in forebrain mRNA levels of an immediate-early gene encoding a transcriptional regulator (ZENK; also known as zif-268, egr-1, NGFI-A, or Krox-24) following presentation of tape-recorded songs to canaries (Serinus canaria) and zebra finches (Taeniopygia guttata). ZENK induction is most marked in a forebrain region believed to participate in auditory processing and is greatest when birds hear the song of their own species. A significantly lower level of induction occurs when birds hear the song of a different species and no induction is seen after exposure to tone bursts. Cellular analysis indicates that the level of induction reflects the proportion of neurons recruited to express the gene. These results suggest a role for genomic responses in neural processes linked to song pattern recognition, discrimination, or the formation of auditory associations.
我们研究了基因组调控事件在鸣禽大脑对具有已知生理和行为相关性的自然听觉刺激——鸟鸣声的反应中的参与情况。通过原位杂交，我们发现，在向金丝雀（Serinus canaria）和斑胸草雀（Taeniopygia guttata）播放录制的鸟鸣声后，一种编码转录调节因子的即早基因（ZENK；也称为zif-268、egr-1、NGFI-A或Krox-24）在前脑的mRNA水平迅速增加。ZENK的诱导在一个被认为参与听觉处理的前脑区域最为明显，并且当鸟类听到自己物种的歌声时最为强烈。当鸟类听到不同物种的歌声时，诱导水平显著降低，而在接触短音脉冲后则未观察到诱导现象。细胞分析表明，诱导水平反映了被招募来表达该基因的神经元比例。这些结果表明基因组反应在与歌声模式识别、辨别或听觉联想形成相关的神经过程中发挥作用。
