PUBLICATION
Genetic editing of the androgen receptor contributes to impaired male courtship behavior in zebrafish
- Authors
- Yong, L., Thet, Z., Zhu, Y.
- ID
- ZDB-PUB-170618-18
- Date
- 2017
- Source
- The Journal of experimental biology 220(Pt 17): 3017-3021 (Journal)
- Registered Authors
- Thet, Zayer, Zhu, Yong
- Keywords
- Androgen receptor, Behavioral genetics, Courtship, Genetic editing, TALENs, Zebrafish
- MeSH Terms
-
- Animals
- Courtship
- Gene Editing
- Male
- Receptors, Androgen/genetics*
- Receptors, Androgen/metabolism
- Sexual Behavior, Animal*
- Transcription Activator-Like Effectors/genetics
- Zebrafish/genetics
- Zebrafish/physiology*
- Zebrafish Proteins/genetics*
- Zebrafish Proteins/metabolism
- PubMed
- 28620015 Full text @ J. Exp. Biol.
Citation
Yong, L., Thet, Z., Zhu, Y. (2017) Genetic editing of the androgen receptor contributes to impaired male courtship behavior in zebrafish. The Journal of experimental biology. 220(Pt 17):3017-3021.
Abstract
Elucidating the genes that contribute to behavioral variation has become an important endeavor in behavioral studies. While advances in genomics have narrowed down the list of candidate genes, functional validation of them has lagged behind, partly because of challenges associated with rapid gene manipulations. Consequently, few studies have demonstrated causal genetic changes linked to behaviors. The 'gene editing revolution' has offered unprecedented opportunities to investigate candidate genes responsible for critical behaviors. Here, we edited the androgen receptor gene (AR), which is associated with male reproductive behavior in zebrafish, using TAL effector nucleases (TALENs), and tested whether modifications at the AR impacted courtship during mating trials. We reveal that males lacking AR courted females significantly less, showing reduced levels of stereotypic behaviors. Consistent with previous studies, disrupting androgen mechanisms can lead to behavioral changes with potential fitness consequences. Our study highlights the possibility of genetically altering a reproductive behavior, further solidifying the link between genotype and behavior.
Genes / Markers
Expression
Phenotype
Mutations / Transgenics
Human Disease / Model
Sequence Targeting Reagents
Fish
Orthology
Engineered Foreign Genes
Mapping