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Fallahsharoudi, A., Løtvedt, P., Beltéky, J., Altimiras, J. & Jensen, P. (2019). Changes in pituitary gene expression may underlie multiple domesticated traits in chickens.. Heredity, 122(2), 195-204
Open this publication in new window or tab >>Changes in pituitary gene expression may underlie multiple domesticated traits in chickens.
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2019 (English)In: Heredity, ISSN 0018-067X, E-ISSN 1365-2540, Vol. 122, no 2, p. 195-204Article in journal (Refereed) Published
Abstract [en]

Domesticated animals share a unique set of morphological and behavioral traits, jointly referred to as the domesticated phenotype. Striking similarities amongst a range of unrelated domesticated species suggest that similar regulatory mechanisms may underlie the domesticated phenotype. These include color pattern, growth, reproduction, development and stress response. Although previous studies have focused on the brain to find mechanisms underlying domestication, the potential role of the pituitary gland as a target of domestication is highly overlooked. Here, we study gene expression in the pituitary gland of the domesticated White Leghorn chicken and its wild ancestor, the Red Junglefowl. By overlapping differentially expressed genes with a previously published list of functionally important genes in the pituitary gland, we narrowed down to 34 genes. Amongst them, expression levels of genes with inhibitory function on pigmentation (ASIP), main stimulators of metabolism and sexual maturity (TSHB and DIO2), and a potential inhibitor of broodiness (PRLR), were higher in the domesticated breed. Additionally, expression of 2 key inhibitors of the stress response (NR3C1, CRHR2) was higher in the domesticated breed. We suggest that changes in the transcription of important modulatory genes in the pituitary gland can account not only for domestication of the stress response in domestic chickens, but also for changes in pigmentation, development, and reproduction. Given the pivotal role of the pituitary gland in the regulation of multiple shared domesticated traits, we suggest that similar changes in pituitary transcriptome may contribute to the domesticated phenotype in other species as well.

Place, publisher, year, edition, pages
London: Nature Publishing Group, 2019
National Category
Genetics
Identifiers
urn:nbn:se:liu:diva-148742 (URN)10.1038/s41437-018-0092-z (DOI)000455217300005 ()
Note

Funding agencies: Swedish Research Council (VR) [2015-05444]; Swedish Research Council Formas [2016-00645]; European Research Council (ERC) [322206 GENEWELL]

Available from: 2018-06-18 Created: 2018-06-18 Last updated: 2023-12-28Bibliographically approved
Beltéky, J., Eklund, B. & Jensen, P. (2017). Gene expression of behaviorally relevant genes in the cerebral hemisphere changes after selection for tameness in Red Junglefowl.. PLOS ONE, 12(5), Article ID e0177004.
Open this publication in new window or tab >>Gene expression of behaviorally relevant genes in the cerebral hemisphere changes after selection for tameness in Red Junglefowl.
2017 (English)In: PLOS ONE, E-ISSN 1932-6203, Vol. 12, no 5, article id e0177004Article in journal (Refereed) Published
Abstract [en]

The process of domestication in animals has led to alterations in behavior, physiology and phenotypic traits, changes that may be driven by correlations with reduced fear of humans. We used Red Junglefowl, ancestors of all domesticated chickens selected for either high or low fear of humans for five generations to study the effects of selection on gene transcription in the cerebral hemisphere, which is heavily involved in behaviour control. A total of 24 individuals from the parental generation as well as from the fifth selected generation were used. Twenty-two genes were significantly differentially expressed at p < 0.05 after false discovery rate (FDR) correction. Those genes that were upregulated in the low fearful animals were found to be involved in neural functions. Gene ontology and pathway analysis revealed enrichment for terms associated with behavioural processes. We conclude that five generations of divergent selection for high or low tameness has significantly changed gene expression patterns in the cerebral hemisphere in the Red Junglefowl population used here, which could underlie a range of changes in the domestic phenotype.

Place, publisher, year, edition, pages
Public Library of Science, 2017
National Category
Behavioral Sciences Biology
Identifiers
urn:nbn:se:liu:diva-137300 (URN)10.1371/journal.pone.0177004 (DOI)000401313700027 ()28481924 (PubMedID)
Note

Funding agencies: research council Formas [221-2010-35]; Swedish Research Council VR [621-2011-4731]; European Research Council, ERC [322206 GENEWELL]; ERC [322206 GENEWELL]

Available from: 2017-05-11 Created: 2017-05-11 Last updated: 2023-12-28Bibliographically approved
Bélteky, J., Agnvall, B., Johnsson, M., Wright, D. & Jensen, P. (2016). Domestication and tameness: brain geneexpression in red junglefowl selected for less fear of humans suggests effects on reproduction and immunology. Royal Society Open Science (3), Article ID 160033.
Open this publication in new window or tab >>Domestication and tameness: brain geneexpression in red junglefowl selected for less fear of humans suggests effects on reproduction and immunology
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2016 (English)In: Royal Society Open Science, E-ISSN 2054-5703, no 3, article id 160033Article in journal (Refereed) Published
Abstract [en]

The domestication of animals has generated a set of phenotypicmodifications, affecting behaviour, appearance, physiologyand reproduction, which are consistent across a range ofspecies. We hypothesized that some of these phenotypes couldhave evolved because of genetic correlation to tameness,an essential trait for successful domestication. Starting froman outbred population of red junglefowl, ancestor of alldomestic chickens, we selected birds for either high or lowfear of humans for five generations. Birds from the fifthselected generation (S5) showed a divergent pattern of growthand reproduction, where low fear chickens grew larger andproduced larger offspring. To examine underlying geneticmechanisms, we used microarrays to study gene expressionin thalamus/hypothalamus, a brain region involved in fearand stress, in both the parental generation and the S5. Whileparents of the selection lines did not show any differentiallyexpressed genes, there were a total of 33 genes with adjustedp-values below 0.1 in S5. These were mainly related to spermfunction,immunological functions, with only a few known tobe relevant to behaviour. Hence, five generations of divergentselection for fear of humans produced changes in hypothalamicgene expression profiles related to pathways associated withmale reproduction and to immunology. This may be linked to the effects seen on growth and size of offspring. These results support the hypothesis thatdomesticated phenotypes may evolve because of correlated effects related to reduced fear of humans.

Place, publisher, year, edition, pages
Royal Society Publishing, 2016
Keywords
artificial selection, gene expression, microarray, chicken, fearfulness
National Category
Ecology
Identifiers
urn:nbn:se:liu:diva-130501 (URN)10.1098/rsos.160033 (DOI)000384411000002 ()
Note

Funding agencies:  Research council Formas; Vetenskapsradet; ERC [322206]

Available from: 2016-08-11 Created: 2016-08-11 Last updated: 2023-12-28
Ericsson, M., Henriksen, R., Bélteky, J., Sundman, A.-S., Shionoya, K. & Jensen, P. (2016). Long-Term and Transgenerational Effects of Stress Experienced during Different Life Phases in Chickens (Gallus gallus). PLOS ONE, 11(4), Article ID e0153879.
Open this publication in new window or tab >>Long-Term and Transgenerational Effects of Stress Experienced during Different Life Phases in Chickens (Gallus gallus)
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2016 (English)In: PLOS ONE, E-ISSN 1932-6203, Vol. 11, no 4, article id e0153879Article in journal (Refereed) Published
Abstract [en]

Stress in animals causes not only immediate reactions, but may affect their biology for long periods, even across generations. Particular interest has been paid to perinatal stress, but also adolescence has been shown to be a sensitive period in mammals. So far, no systematic study has been performed of the relative importance of stress encountered during different life phases. In this study, groups of chickens were exposed to a six-day period of repeated stress during three different life phases: early (two weeks), early puberty (eight weeks) and late puberty (17 weeks), and the effects were compared to an unstressed control group. The short-term effects were assessed by behaviour, and the long-term and transgenerational effects were determined by effects on behavior and corticosterone secretion, as well as on hypothalamic gene expression. Short-term effects were strongest in the two week group and the eight week group, whereas long-term and transgenerational effects were detected in all three stress groups. However, stress at different ages affected different aspects of the biology of the chickens, and it was not possible to determine a particularly sensitive life phase. The results show that stress during puberty appears to be at least equally critical as the previously studied early life phase. These findings may have important implications for animal welfare in egg production, since laying hens are often exposed to stress during the three periods pinpointed here.

Place, publisher, year, edition, pages
Plos One, 2016
National Category
Developmental Biology Cell Biology
Identifiers
urn:nbn:se:liu:diva-127492 (URN)10.1371/journal.pone.0153879 (DOI)000374565100026 ()27105229 (PubMedID)
Funder
Swedish Research Council, 621-2011-4731 (PJ)Swedish Research Council Formas, 221-2011-1088 (PJ)EU, European Research Council, 322206 (PJ)
Note

Funding agencies: Swedish Research Council [621-2011-4731]; Swedish Research Council for Environment, Agricultural Sciences and Spatial Planning [221-2011-1088]; European Research Council [322206]

Available from: 2016-04-28 Created: 2016-04-28 Last updated: 2023-12-28Bibliographically approved
Nätt, D., Rubin, C.-J., Wright, D., Johnsson, M., Beltéky, J., Andersson, L. & Jensen, P. (2012). Heritable genome-wide variation of gene expression and promoter methylation between wild and domesticated chickens. BMC Genomics, 13(59)
Open this publication in new window or tab >>Heritable genome-wide variation of gene expression and promoter methylation between wild and domesticated chickens
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2012 (English)In: BMC Genomics, E-ISSN 1471-2164, Vol. 13, no 59Article in journal (Refereed) Published
Abstract [en]

Variations in gene expression, mediated by epigenetic mechanisms, may cause broad phenotypic effects in animals. However, it has been debated to what extent expression variation and epigenetic modifications, such as patterns of DNA methylation, are transferred across generations, and therefore it is uncertain what role epigenetic variation may play in adaptation. Here, we show that in Red Junglefowl, ancestor of domestic chickens, gene expression and methylation profiles in thalamus/hypothalamus differ substantially from that of a domesticated egg laying breed. Expression as well as methylation differences are largely maintained in the offspring, demonstrating reliable inheritance of epigenetic variation. Some of the inherited methylation differences are tissue-specific, and the differential methylation at specific loci are little changed after eight generations of intercrossing between Red Junglefowl and domesticated laying hens. There was an over-representation of differentially expressed and methylated genes in selective sweep regions associated with chicken domestication. Hence, our results show that epigenetic variation is inherited in chickens, and we suggest that selection of favourable epigenomes, either by selection of genotypes affecting epigenetic states, or by selection of methylation states which are inherited independently of sequence differences, may have been an important aspect of chicken domestication.

Place, publisher, year, edition, pages
BioMed Central, 2012
Keywords
Domestication, gene expression, tiling array, behaviour, methylation
National Category
Biological Sciences
Identifiers
urn:nbn:se:liu:diva-70159 (URN)10.1186/1471-2164-13-59 (DOI)000301440800001 ()
Note

funding agencies|Swedish Research Council| 2008-14496-59340-36 |Swedish Research Council for Environment, Agricultural Sciences and Spatial Planning| 221 2007 838 |

Available from: 2011-08-22 Created: 2011-08-22 Last updated: 2024-01-17Bibliographically approved
Organisations
Identifiers
ORCID iD: ORCID iD iconorcid.org/0000-0001-5508-4465

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