Project description:Newly-hatched domestic chick serves as an important model for studies of neural and behavioral plasticity, particularly with respect to learning and memory such as filial imprinting. Imprinting is assumed to be a unique case of recognition learning with some characteristic features, such as sensitive period and irreversibility. However, the molecules involved in the memory process are yet to be fully identified. To address this issue, we attempted to identify the genes differentially expressed at an earlier phase of filial imprinting than described in our previous report (Brain Res. Bull.76, 275-281 (2008)). One-day-old chicks were trained for imprinting for 1 h and whole brains were collected and used for cDNA microarray analysis and quantitative RT-PCR. We identified 18 genes upregulated accompanying filial imprinting. These results suggested that the increase of these 18 genes associated with filial imprinting might play an important role in the acquisition of memory in the filial imprinting. Total RNA was extracted from whole brains of trained chicks (n=16) and control dark-reared chicks (n=16). Using these total RNAs, we performed RT-PCR to distinguish male chicks from females. Then total RNAs were separated and mixed in four groups (1, male trained (n=8); 2, female trained (n=8); 3, male dark-reared (n=8); and 4, female dark-reared chicks (n=8)), and we performed cDNA microarray expression analysis to identify the upregulated genes following imprinting (1 versus 3 and 2 versus 4).
Project description:Newly-hatched domestic chick serves as an important model for studies of neural and behavioral plasticity, particularly with respect to learning and memory such as filial imprinting. Imprinting is assumed to be a unique case of recognition learning with some characteristic features, such as sensitive period and irreversibility. However, the molecules involved in the memory process are yet to be fully identified. To address this issue, we attempted to identify the genes differentially expressed at an earlier phase of filial imprinting than described in our previous report (Brain Res. Bull.76, 275-281 (2008)). One-day-old chicks were trained for imprinting for 1 h and whole brains were collected and used for cDNA microarray analysis and quantitative RT-PCR. We identified 18 genes upregulated accompanying filial imprinting. These results suggested that the increase of these 18 genes associated with filial imprinting might play an important role in the acquisition of memory in the filial imprinting.
Project description:We performed aCGH analysis among domestic chicks (Gallus gallus) with different sensitivity in the tonic immobility (TI) to identify the copy number aberrants within genes or regions responsible for innate fear responses.
Project description:We performed aCGH analysis among domestic chicks (Gallus gallus) with different sensitivity in the tonic immobility (TI) to identify the copy number aberrants within genes or regions responsible for innate fear responses. Four samples (high fear) were compared with a reference sample (low fear)
Project description:The Del-Mar 14K chip was used to interrogate differential expression of transcripts in the white isthmus (WI) compared with the adjacent magnum (Mg) and uterine (Ut) segments of the hen oviduct. Differential expression of genes common to both comparisons (WI/Mg and WI/Ut) was detected for 204 annotated proteins. Of these, 58 genes were overexpressed in both WI/Mg and WI/Ut, and are therefore considered to be the most interesting candidates for WI - specific functions. Additionally, general analysis revealed 135 clones hybridizing to overexpressed transcripts (WI/Mg + WI/Ut), and corresponding to 102 NCBI annotatated non-redundant Gallus gallus gene ID~s. This combined analysis revealed that structural proteins highly over-expressed in white isthmus were collagen X (COL10A1), Fibrillin (FBN1) and Cysteine Rich Eggshell Membrane Protein (CREMP). In addition, genes encoding collagen-processing enzymes were over-expressed, as were proteins known to regulate disulfide cross-linking, suggesting that coordinated upregulation of gene networks in the white isthmus is associated with eggshell membrane fibre formation. IPA interactome analysis reinforces the key role of the estrogen receptor and SMAD3 in mediating gene regulation during eggshell membrane synthesis. These results will assist with development of selection strategies to improve eggshell quality and food safety of the table egg. Keywords: Laying hen, eggshell, oviduct, Isthmus expression, cDNA microarray, indirect cDNA labelling, Alexa Fluor dyes Keywords: Expression profiling by array
