Characterizing the neurotranscriptomic states in alternative stress coping styles

Abstract

BackgroundAnimals experience stress in many contexts and often successfully cope. Individuals exhibiting the proactive versus reactive stress coping styles display qualitatively different behavioral and neuroendocrine responses to stressors. The predisposition to exhibiting a particular coping style is due to genetic and environmental factors. In this study we explore the neurotranscriptomic and gene network biases that are associated with differences between zebrafish (Danio rerio) lines selected for proactive and reactive coping styles and reared in a common garden environment.ResultsUsing RNA-sequencing we quantified the basal transcriptomes from the brains of wild-derived zebrafish lines selectively bred to exhibit the proactive or reactive stress coping style. We identified 1953 genes that differed in baseline gene expression levels. Weighted gene coexpression network analyses identified one gene module associated with line differences. Together with our previous pharmacological experiment, we identified a core set of 62 genes associated with line differences. Gene ontology analyses reveal that many of these core genes are implicated in neurometabolism (e.g. organic acid biosynthetic and fatty acid metabolic processes).ConclusionsOur results show that proactive and reactive stress coping individuals display distinct basal neurotranscriptomic states. Differences in baseline expression of select genes or regulation of specific gene modules are linked to the magnitude of the behavioral response and the display of a coping style, respectively. Our results expand the molecular mechanisms of stress coping from one focused on the neurotransmitter systems to a more complex system that involves an organism’s capability to handle neurometabolic loads and allows for comparisons with other animal taxa to uncover potential conserved mechanisms.Electronic supplementary materialThe online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s12864-015-1626-x) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

Repeatability and reliability of exploratory behavior in proactive and reactive zebrafish, Danio rerio

“…exploratory behavior) in an open field test and were 10 generations removed from a wild caught population from Gaighata in West Bengal, India 41 . The HSB and LSB strains display behaviors across multiple different behavioral assays, glucocorticoid responses, and morphology consistent with the reactive and proactive stress coping styles, respectively 31,41,45,53,54 . Additionally, HSB and LSB strains differ in neurotranscriptome profiles 54,55 .…”

“…The HSB and LSB strains display behaviors across multiple different behavioral assays, glucocorticoid responses, and morphology consistent with the reactive and proactive stress coping styles, respectively 31,41,45,53,54 . Additionally, HSB and LSB strains differ in neurotranscriptome profiles 54,55 . Females of both strains exhibit higher stationary time than males in an open field test 41,56 .…”

On the Role of Neurogenesis and Neural Plasticity in the Evolution of Animal Personalities and Stress Coping Styles

“…Among the questions raised are: via what mechanisms are trait correlations inherited, which circumstances benefit different complex phenotypes, and what are the costs and benefits of the limited plasticity imposed by fixed trait associations? In the bioinformatics era, it should also be noted that understanding individual variation may be of vital importance for the interpretation of transcriptomic data [see for example Crawford and Oleksiak, 2008;MacKenzie et al, 2009;Wong et al, 2015;Rey et al, 2016].…”

The Integration of Sociality, Monoamines, and Stress Neuroendocrinology in Fish Models: Applications in the Neurosciences

“…LSB animals display less anxiety-like behaviour in the novel tank test and light/dark test, a lower fear-like behaviour during alarm substance exposure, lower latency to feed after a disturbance, and a higher probability of orienting towards a human observer than HSB animals (Wong et al, 2012). 62 genes were found to be upregulated in the brains of proactive (LSB) animals, including genes involved in the biosynthesis and metabolism of organic acids, carboxylic acids, and fatty acids (Wong et al, 2015). The authors suggested that these differences could be related to dealing with oxidative stress expression of the methylsterol monoxygenase-coding gene msmo1 and 11β-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase-coding gene hsd11b2, and negatively correlated with gabbr1a expression, a gee which codes for the GABAB receptor.…”