Temporal dynamics of neurogenomic plasticity in response to social interactions in male threespined sticklebacks.

PLoS Genet
Authors
Keywords
Abstract

Animals exhibit dramatic immediate behavioral plasticity in response to social interactions, and brief social interactions can shape the future social landscape. However, the molecular mechanisms contributing to behavioral plasticity are unclear. Here, we show that the genome dynamically responds to social interactions with multiple waves of transcription associated with distinct molecular functions in the brain of male threespined sticklebacks, a species famous for its behavioral repertoire and evolution. Some biological functions (e.g., hormone activity) peaked soon after a brief territorial challenge and then declined, while others (e.g., immune response) peaked hours afterwards. We identify transcription factors that are predicted to coordinate waves of transcription associated with different components of behavioral plasticity. Next, using H3K27Ac as a marker of chromatin accessibility, we show that a brief territorial intrusion was sufficient to cause rapid and dramatic changes in the epigenome. Finally, we integrate the time course brain gene expression data with a transcriptional regulatory network, and link gene expression to changes in chromatin accessibility. This study reveals rapid and dramatic epigenomic plasticity in response to a brief, highly consequential social interaction.

Year of Publication
2017
Journal
PLoS Genet
Volume
13
Issue
7
Pages
e1006840
Date Published
2017 Jul
ISSN
1553-7404
DOI
10.1371/journal.pgen.1006840
PubMed ID
28704398
PubMed Central ID
PMC5509087
Links
Grant list
R01 GM082937 / GM / NIGMS NIH HHS / United States