Genetics and Genomics of Social Behavior in a Chicken Model

Martin Johnsson; Rie Henriksen; Jesper Fogelholm; Andrey Höglund; Per Jensen; Dominic Wright

doi:10.1534/genetics.118.300810

Genetics and Genomics of Social Behavior in a Chicken Model

Genetics. 2018 May;209(1):209-221. doi: 10.1534/genetics.118.300810. Epub 2018 Mar 12.

Authors

Martin Johnsson^{1

2

3}, Rie Henriksen¹, Jesper Fogelholm¹, Andrey Höglund¹, Per Jensen¹, Dominic Wright⁴

Affiliations

¹ AVIAN Behavioural Genomics and Physiology group, IFM Biology, Linköping University, 58183, Sweden.
² The Roslin Institute and Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Studies, The University of Edinburgh, EH25 9RG UK.
³ Department of Animal Breeding and Genetics, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, 750 07 Uppsala, Sweden.
⁴ AVIAN Behavioural Genomics and Physiology group, IFM Biology, Linköping University, 58183, Sweden domwright@gmail.com.

Abstract

The identification of genes affecting sociality can give insights into the maintenance and development of sociality and personality. In this study, we used the combination of an advanced intercross between wild and domestic chickens with a combined QTL and eQTL genetical genomics approach to identify genes for social reinstatement, a social and anxiety-related behavior. A total of 24 social reinstatement QTL were identified and overlaid with over 600 eQTL obtained from the same birds using hypothalamic tissue. Correlations between overlapping QTL and eQTL indicated five strong candidate genes, with the gene TTRAP being strongly significantly correlated with multiple aspects of social reinstatement behavior, as well as possessing a highly significant eQTL.

Keywords: QTL; behavior; eQTL; sociality.

Publication types

Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

Animals
Behavior, Animal*
Chickens / genetics*
Genomics* / methods
Genotype
Phenotype
Quantitative Trait Loci
Quantitative Trait, Heritable*
Social Behavior*