Dads matter, too: The behavioural and neurogenomic effects of receiving paternal care [ATAC-Seq]
Ontology highlight
ABSTRACT:
PROVIDER: PRJNA1304987 | ENA |
REPOSITORIES: ENA
Similar Datasets
Project description:Dads matter, too: The behavioural and neurogenomic effects of receiving paternal care
| PRJNA1304590 | ENA
Project description:Offspring are often influenced by the care they receive from their parents. However, we know little about the underlying neurogenomic mechanisms. Using a half-sib design, threespine stickleback fish were either raised by their fathers or hand-reared (“orphaned”). As offspring developed, they were tested in one of three behavioural assays: an open field assay with a simulated predator attack, a social behaviour assay with a simulated predator attack, and a scototaxis assay. Offspring that received parental care were bolder, more social, and less anxious. Fish in the open field assay had their brains sampled one hour following the simulated attack; brains were sampled at the same time from full-sib controls. These brains were processed for gene expression (via Tag-seq) and chromatin accessibility (via ATAC-seq). Experiencing paternal care affected brain gene expression, but sex was also a major factor, despite the fish being reproductively immature. The predator attack in the open field assay affected expression of fewer genes. Sex, and to lesser extent, paternal care, also influenced chromatin accessibility at a whole genome scale. Our findings further our understanding of the mechanistic basis for offspring response to variation in the care they receive from their parents.
2025-08-13 | GSE305202 | GEO
Project description:Offspring are often influenced by the care they receive from their parents. However, we know little about the underlying neurogenomic mechanisms. Using a half-sib design, threespine stickleback fish were either raised by their fathers or hand-reared (“orphaned”). As offspring developed, they were tested in one of three behavioural assays: an open field assay with a simulated predator attack, a social behaviour assay with a simulated predator attack, and a scototaxis assay. Offspring that received parental care were bolder, more social, and less anxious. Fish in the open field assay had their brains sampled one hour following the simulated attack; brains were sampled at the same time from full-sib controls. These brains were processed for gene expression (via Tag-seq) and chromatin accessibility (via ATAC-seq). Experiencing paternal care affected brain gene expression, but sex was also a major factor, despite the fish being reproductively immature. The predator attack in the open field assay affected expression of fewer genes. Sex, and to lesser extent, paternal care, also influenced chromatin accessibility at a whole genome scale. Our findings further our understanding of the mechanistic basis for offspring response to variation in the care they receive from their parents.
2025-08-18 | GSE305284 | GEO
Project description:Motherhood is characterized by dramatic changes in brain and behavior, but less is known about fatherhood. Here we report that male sticklebacks – a small fish in which fathers provide care – experience dramatic changes in neurogenomic state as they become fathers. Some genes are unique to different stages of paternal care, some genes are shared across stages, and some genes are added to the previously acquired neurogenomic state. Comparative genomic analysis suggests that some of these neurogenomic dynamics resemble changes associated with pregnancy and reproduction in mammalian mothers. Moreover, gene regulatory analysis identified transcription factors that are regulated in opposite directions in response to a territorial challenge versus during paternal care. Altogether these results show that some of the molecular mechanisms of parental care might be deeply conserved and might not be sex-specific, and suggest that tradeoffs between opposing social behaviors are managed at the gene regulatory level.
2019-09-15 | GSE134508 | GEO
Project description:Neurogenomic insights into paternal care and its relation to territorial aggression
| PRJNA555357 | ENA
Project description:Motherhood is characterized by dramatic changes in brain and behavior, but less is known about fatherhood. Here we report that male sticklebacks-a small fish in which fathers provide care-experience dramatic changes in neurogenomic state as they become fathers. Some genes are unique to different stages of paternal care, some genes are shared across stages, and some genes are added to the previously acquired neurogenomic state. Comparative genomic analysis suggests that some of these neurogenomic dynamics resemble changes associated with pregnancy and reproduction in mammalian mothers. Moreover, gene regulatory analysis identifies transcription factors that are regulated in opposite directions in response to a territorial challenge versus during paternal care. Altogether these results show that some of the molecular mechanisms of parental care might be deeply conserved and might not be sex-specific, and suggest that tradeoffs between opposing social behaviors are managed at the gene regulatory level.
| S-EPMC6768867 | biostudies-literature
Project description:The switch between biological states during key life-history transitions requires major reprogramming at the behavioural level that is under the control of the brain. In this study we focused on major life-history transitions in bumblebee queens (Bombus terrestris) that involve switching from virgin to mated and reproductively mature. To reveal the molecular processes underpinning the behavioural changes that accompany these transitions, we characterised the neurogenomic state of queens that succeeded or failed in making these transitions. Analyses of shared transcription patterns suggested that failures are associated with larger molecular signatures than successes. This was observed at the level of total numbers of differentially expressed genes (DEGs) and proportions of these genes that were up-regulated, and applies to both mating and reproductive maturation. ‘Failed Reproductive’ queens were the most distinct phenotype, associated with the highest number of DEGs (1,578) and two networks of co-expressed genes. Mating status influenced gene expression the least, followed by the transition between the two successful phenotypes (mating to reproductive maturation) and reproductive maturation. However, this pattern was not mirrored in terms of functional specialisations, for Gene Ontology (GO) terms, KEGG pathways and co-expression networks associated with DEGs. Out of the 21 highly connected (hub) genes associated with co-expression networks, 9 are involved in neural processes and 4 are regulators of gene expression. This study shows that different life-history transitions trigger distinct molecular profiles, within a single caste of a eusocial insect. Failure to surmount key life-history transitions has the largest effect on a queen’s neurogenomic state, and it triggers a massive overall up-regulation of gene expression. Hence, failure is an important outcome that must be taken into account when analysing the molecular regulation of important life-history transitions.
2017-10-27 | GSE92730 | GEO
Project description:Maternal care boosted by paternal imprinting in mammals
| PRJNA474669 | ENA
Project description:In socially monogamous prairie voles (Microtus ochrogaster), parental behaviors not only occur in mothers and fathers, but also can exist in virgin males. However, some virgin males display aggressive behaviors towards conspecific pups. Although this behavioral dichotomy in response to pup exposure has been well documented in male virgin voles, little is known about the gene expression changes underlie the parental behavioral differences and their regulatory mechanisms. To address this, we profiled the transcriptome and DNA methylome of hippocampal dentate gyrus of four prairie vole groups, attacker virgin males, parental virgin males, fathers, and mothers. We found a concordant pattern of gene transcription in parental virgin males and fathers, when comparing to the attacker group. The methylome analysis also revealed pathways with genes enriched for epigenetic changes involving both receptor-mediated and secondary messenger signaling across both behavioral phenotypes and sexual experiences. Furthermore, we found correlations between gene expression changes and DNA methylation differences between attacker and parental virgin males, which suggests a canonical gene expression regulatory role of DNA methylation in paternal care. Therefore, our study presents an integrated view of transcriptome and epigenome that provides a DNA epigenetic based molecular insight of paternal behavior.
2023-07-12 | GSE214798 | GEO