AVIAN Behavioural Genomics and Physiology Group, IFM Biology, Linköping University, 58183 Linköping, Sweden.
The Roslin Institute and Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Studies, The University of Edinburgh, Midlothian, Scotland EH25 9RG, UK.
Genes (Basel). 2019 May 7;10(5):341. doi: 10.3390/genes10050341.
Identifying the molecular mechanisms of animal behaviour is an enduring goal for researchers. Gaining insight into these mechanisms enables us to gain a greater understanding of behaviour and their genetic control. In this paper, we perform Quantitative Trait Loci (QTL) mapping of tonic immobility behaviour in an advanced intercross line between wild and domestic chickens. Genes located within the QTL interval were further investigated using global expression QTL (eQTL) mapping from hypothalamus tissue, as well as causality analysis. This identified five candidate genes, with the genes and emerging as the best supported candidates. In addition, we also investigated the connection between tonic immobility, meat pH and struggling behaviour, as the two candidate genes and have previously been implicated in controlling muscle pH at slaughter. We did not find any phenotypic correlations between tonic immobility, struggling behaviour and muscle pH in a smaller additional cohort, despite these behaviours being repeatable within-test.
确定动物行为的分子机制是研究人员的一个长期目标。深入了解这些机制使我们能够更好地理解行为及其遗传控制。在本文中，我们对野生和家养鸡之间的高级杂交系中的强直性不动行为进行了数量性状基因座（QTL）映射。使用来自下丘脑组织的全局表达 QTL（eQTL）映射以及因果关系分析进一步研究了位于 QTL 区间内的基因。这确定了五个候选基因，其中基因和 成为最有力的候选基因。此外，我们还研究了强直性不动、肉 pH 和挣扎行为之间的联系，因为之前有研究表明候选基因 和 参与控制屠宰时的肌肉 pH。尽管这些行为在测试内是可重复的，但我们在一个较小的附加队列中没有发现强直性不动、挣扎行为和肌肉 pH 之间的任何表型相关性。
