Department of Organismic and Evolutionary Biology and The Museum of Comparative Zoology, Harvard University, Boston, MA, USA.
Mol Biol Evol. 2010 Jun;27(6):1269-78. doi: 10.1093/molbev/msq013. Epub 2010 Jan 22.
Genetic variation in Avpr1a, the locus encoding the arginine vasopressin receptor 1A (V1aR), has been implicated in pair-bonding behavior in voles (genus Microtus) and humans, raising the possibility that this gene may contribute commonly to mating-system variation in mammals. In voles, differential expression of V1aR in the brain is associated with male partner-preference behavior in a comparison of a monogamous (Microtus ochrogaster) and promiscuous (Microtus montanus) species. This expression difference is correlated, in turn, with a difference in length of a 5' regulatory microsatellite in Avpr1a. Here, we use a combination of comparative sequencing of coding and regulatory regions, analysis of neural expression patterns, and signaling assays to test for differences in V1aR expression and function among eight species of deer mice (genus Peromyscus). Despite well-documented variation in Peromyscus social behavior, we find no association between mating system and length variation in the microsatellite locus linked to V1aR expression in voles. Further, there are no consistent differences in V1aR expression pattern between monogamous and promiscuous species in regions of the brain known to influence mating behavior. We do find statistical evidence for positive selection on the V1aR coding sequence including several derived amino acid substitutions in a monogamous Peromyscus lineage, yet these substitutions have no measurable effect on V1aR signaling activity. Together, these results suggest that mating-system variation in rodents is mediated by multiple genetic mechanisms.
AVPR1A 基因中的遗传变异与配对行为有关，该基因编码精氨酸加压素受体 1A（V1aR），已被证明与田鼠（Microtus 属）和人类的伴侣绑定行为有关，这表明该基因可能共同导致哺乳动物交配系统的变异。在田鼠中，V1aR 在大脑中的差异表达与一夫一妻制（Microtus ochrogaster）和滥交（Microtus montanus）物种的雄性伴侣偏好行为有关。这种表达差异与 AVPR1A 中 5'调控微卫星的长度差异相关。在这里，我们使用比较测序编码和调控区域、神经表达模式分析以及信号转导测定的组合，测试了 8 种鹿鼠（Peromyscus 属）中 V1aR 表达和功能的差异。尽管 Peromyscus 的社会行为有充分的记录，但我们在与田鼠中 V1aR 表达相关的微卫星基因座的长度变异与交配系统之间没有发现关联。此外，在已知影响交配行为的大脑区域中，一夫一妻制和滥交物种之间的 V1aR 表达模式没有一致的差异。我们确实发现了 V1aR 编码序列上正选择的统计证据，包括一夫一妻制 Peromyscus 谱系中的几个衍生氨基酸取代，但这些取代对 V1aR 信号转导活性没有可测量的影响。总之，这些结果表明，啮齿动物的交配系统变异是由多种遗传机制介导的。
