Cellular evolution of the hypothalamic preoptic area of behaviorally divergent deer mice.

ABSTRACT: Genetic variation is known to contribute to the variation of animal social behavior, but the molecular mechanisms that lead to behavioral differences are still not fully understood. Here, we investigate the cellular evolution of the hypothalamic preoptic area (POA), a brain region that plays a critical role in social behavior, across two sister species of deer mice (Peromyscus maniculatus and P. polionotus) with divergent social systems. These two species exhibit large differences in mating and parental care behavior across species and sex. Using single-nucleus RNA-sequencing, we build a cellular atlas of the POA for males and females of both Peromyscus species. We identify four cell types that are differentially abundant across species, two of which may account for sp

SUBMITTER: Chen J 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC11975375 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Apr

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature