Fuxjager Matthew J, Lee Jae-Hyung, Chan Tak-Ming, Bahn Jae Hoon, Chew Jenifer G, Xiao Xinshu, Schlinger Barney A
Department of Biology (M.J.F.), Wake Forest University, Winston-Salem, North Carolina 27109; Department of Life and Nanopharmaceutical Sciences (J.-H.L.), and Department of Maxillofacial Biomedical Engineering (J.-H.L.), School of Dentistry, Kyung Hee University, Dongdaemun-gu, Seoul 130-701, Republic of Korea; Department of Integrative Biology and Physiology (M.J.F., J.-H.L., T.-M.C., J.H.B., J.G.C., X.X., B.A.S.) and Laboratory of Neuroendocrinology (M.J.F., B.A.S.), Brain Research Institute, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California 90095; and Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute (B.A.S.), 0843-03092 Balboa, Ancón, Panama.
Mol Endocrinol. 2016 Feb;30(2):254-71. doi: 10.1210/me.2015-1270. Epub 2016 Jan 8.
Male vertebrate social displays vary from physically simple to complex, with the latter involving exquisite motor command of the body and appendages. Studies of these displays have, in turn, provided substantial insight into neuromotor mechanisms. The neotropical golden-collared manakin (Manacus vitellinus) has been used previously as a model to investigate intricate motor skills because adult males of this species perform an acrobatic and androgen-dependent courtship display. To support this behavior, these birds express elevated levels of androgen receptors (AR) in their skeletal muscles. Here we use RNA sequencing to explore how testosterone (T) modulates the muscular transcriptome to support male manakin courtship displays. In addition, we explore how androgens influence gene expression in the muscles of the zebra finch (Taenopygia guttata), a model passerine bird with a limited courtship display and minimal muscle AR. We identify androgen-dependent, muscle-specific gene regulation in both species. In addition, we identify manakin-specific effects that are linked to muscle use during the manakin display, including androgenic regulation of genes associated with muscle fiber contractility, cellular homeostasis, and energetic efficiency. Overall, our results point to numerous genes and gene networks impacted by androgens in male birds, including some that underlie optimal muscle function necessary for performing acrobatic display routines. Manakins are excellent models to explore gene regulation promoting athletic ability.
雄性脊椎动物的社会展示行为从简单到复杂各不相同，后者涉及对身体和附属肢体的精确运动控制。对这些展示行为的研究反过来又为神经运动机制提供了大量见解。新热带地区的金领侏儒鸟（Manacus vitellinus）此前一直被用作研究复杂运动技能的模型，因为该物种的成年雄性会进行一种依赖雄激素的杂技式求偶展示。为了支持这种行为，这些鸟类在其骨骼肌中表达高水平的雄激素受体（AR）。在这里，我们使用RNA测序来探索睾酮（T）如何调节肌肉转录组以支持雄性侏儒鸟的求偶展示。此外，我们还探索雄激素如何影响斑胸草雀（Taenopygia guttata）肌肉中的基因表达，斑胸草雀是一种典型的鸣禽，其求偶展示有限且肌肉AR含量极少。我们在这两个物种中都发现了雄激素依赖的、肌肉特异性的基因调控。此外，我们还发现了与侏儒鸟展示过程中肌肉使用相关的侏儒鸟特异性效应，包括对与肌肉纤维收缩性、细胞内稳态和能量效率相关基因的雄激素调控。总体而言，我们的结果表明雄性鸟类中有许多基因和基因网络受到雄激素的影响，包括一些构成进行杂技展示所需最佳肌肉功能基础的基因。侏儒鸟是探索促进运动能力的基因调控的优秀模型。
