整合行为和基因组学研究以了解蜘蛛个性

与其他物种类似,蜘蛛表现出可以描述为人格特征的个体行为。在this articlepublished inBMC基因组学,,,,the authors elucidate the influence of genes on this phenomenon.

Pet owners will recognize that their animals exhibit substantial individual differences in behavior. For example, some dogs are curious and independent when they visit a new place, while others are timid and watch their owners’ reactions. Researchers studying animal behavior now understand that such differences among individuals of the same species, sometimes called ‘animal personalities’, are common and shape how individuals interact with their environment.

读者可能会惊讶地发现,尽管蜘蛛的尺寸很小,但蜘蛛仍然是对动物人格变异的密集研究的重点。一些蜘蛛物种表现出一系列协调的行为特征,在个体之间有所不同,但随着时间的流逝,给定个体中非常一致。这些行为通常属于“大胆”和“害羞”之间的连续性。大胆的人从假装的攻击中迅速康复,并有短暂的潜伏期来攻击新纠缠的猎物,而害羞的人则倾向于更长的时间打死,并且在攻击猎物之前花更多的时间。

Over the past decade, these personality traits have been investigated in a variety of ecological and social contexts in spiders of the genusAnelosimus。尽管以前的多代研究提供了证据,表明某些人格特征可能会从父母传给后代,但我们缺乏对这些复杂行为特征的遗传基础的理解。甚至除蜘蛛之外,对行为特征的遗传学的研究落后于研究身体特征的人,例如着色。有几个原因。首先,衡量行为具有挑战性,因为必须对生物体进行。其次,研究人员期望行为会受到每个人的基因和以前的经验的影响,因此在遗传变异和行为特征之间不太可能存在完美的关联。最后,鉴于许多行为特征的复杂性,我们希望它们会受到多个基因的影响,并且我们检测到这种模式的能力是有限的。

Spiders exhibit behaviors that are consistent in each individual over time.

Nevertheless, identifying genetic markers associated with a trait of interest is important because it allows us to investigate the origin and underlying causes of a behavior. Genetic markers also become a valuable tool for future studies. A新研究BMC基因组学seeks to bridge this knowledge gap by identifying genetic markers associated with personality traits in the spiderAnelosimus Studiosus。

今天,基因组学的进步促进基因的屁股ociation studies in organisms that have not been the focus of previous genetic research. To use these emerging tools, Jonathan Pruitt and I sampled spiders along rivers and lakes in eastern Tennessee. We used standard behavioral assays, called ‘startle tests’, to determine the recovery time of each individual after a disturbance (in this instance, puffs of air applied to the spider’s body). Individuals that moved very quickly after this treatment were considered to be bold, while those that played dead for several minutes were considered to be shy. Since this species dwells either in multi-female social groups or in solitary nests in this environment, we also noted the social structure of each source colony.

Anelosimus group普鲁伊特(Pruitt)和他的同事们先前证明了社会团体由大胆和害羞的人组成,因此这两个变量(社会和大胆)被单独考虑。在得分这些行为性状之后,我们使用了双消化限制位点相关的DNA测序(或DDRADSEQ)来序列,约为200多个蜘蛛中每个基因组的0.1%。同时,我们对一个个体的整个基因组进行了测序并组装。尽管由于蜘蛛基因组的具有挑战性的特征,包括大尺寸和重复的DNA序列含量高,但基因组组装仍然高度分散,但该基因组帮助我们确定了DDRADSEQ标记的相对位置。

最终,我们确定了与蜘蛛大胆相关的七个遗传标记集群。在每个标记中,携带两个序列(=纯合子)的个体倾向于大胆,而对另一个序列的纯合子则往往更柔软。杂合个体(换句话说,每个序列副本的人)往往会表现出中间的恢复时间。这些标记相互关联,基因组的这个区域解释了大胆变化的11%。

Genetic markers link to each other to shape the individual ‘personality’ of each animal.

这表明该基因组区域对人格具有明显的影响,但也表明这不是影响人格的基因组的唯一部分。我们尚不知道这些标记是否在基因内,还是该基因组区域是否影响基因调节。我们没有找到与每个人的社会结构相关的任何标记。对于社会结构和个性,我们的基因组扫描可能会错过有趣的变化,因为我们只调查了每个人的一部分基因组。

然而,蜘蛛中人格特质的遗传基础的发现开辟了各种新的研究方向。表征新鉴定的基因组区域附近的基因并研究其功能将开始揭示它们如何塑造行为。在生物体的水平上,我们可以衡量每个遗传变异如何影响个体和群体的成功。在人口水平上,我们可以研究维持这种遗传变异的机制。

Overall, this study takes an exciting first step toward merging contemporary animal behavior and genetics research in this widespread and fascinating species. More broadly, this discovery helps open the door to understanding animal personality in a broader group of organisms, since the phenomenon is so pervasive in animals.

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