Genes and Behaviour

Process EnvironmentalRegulatory genes

Process EnvironmentalRegulatory genes

Environmental influencesturn genes on and off

Process EnvironmentalRegulatory genes

Environmental influencesturn genes on and off

Structural Genes

Process EnvironmentalRegulatory genes

Environmental influencesturn genes on and off

Structural Genes

Enzyme production

Enzymes

Process EnvironmentalRegulatory genes

Environmental influencesturn genes on and off

Structural Genes

Enzyme production

Enzymes

Carbohydrates, fats & proteins

Physical (e.g. temp)

Regulated biochemical reactions

Process EnvironmentalRegulatory genes

Environmental influencesturn genes on and off

Structural Genes

Enzyme production

Enzymes

Carbohydrates, fats & proteins

Physical (e.g. temp)

Regulated biochemical reactions

Cell metabolism

Process EnvironmentalRegulatory genes

Environmental influencesturn genes on and off

Structural Genes

Enzyme production

Enzymes

Carbohydrates, fats & proteins

Physical (e.g. temp)

Regulated biochemical reactions

Cell metabolism

Carbohydrates, fats & proteins

Environmental influences (e.g. visual input for the development of the CNS)

Physiological mechanisms

Development of nervous, skeletal & endocrine systems

Process EnvironmentalRegulatory genes

Environmental influencesturn genes on and off

Structural Genes

Enzyme production

Enzymes

Carbohydrates, fats & proteins

Physical (e.g. temp)

Regulated biochemical reactions

Cell metabolism

Carbohydrates, fats & proteins

Environmental influences (e.g. visual input for the development of the CNS)

Physiological mechanisms

Development of nervous, skeletal & endocrine systems

BEHAVIOUR

Environmental influences(e.g. social environment)Sensory perception, CNS processing,Motor generation

INHERITANCE OF

SONG PATTERNS IN CRICKETS(BENTLEY, 1971)

Teleogryllus commodus Teleogryllus oceanicus

X

F1 hybrid

X X

T. oceanicus x F1 backcross

T. commodus x F1 backcross

Quantitative Genetics

1 allele 2 alleles

X allelesFor any trait:

Total variance = genetic variance + environmental variance

Or VT = VG + VE

Heritability = VG + VE

VG

Foulbrood in Honeybees

Under the control of two alleles

Foulbrood in Honeybees

Under the control of two alleles

u - for uncapping U - no uncapping

r - removal R - no removal

Female (uurr)

X

Male (UR)

Non-hygenic

All females - non-hygenic(UuRr)

Hygenic

Foulbrood in Honeybees

Now do various backcrosses F1 females to males

Genotype No uncapping

Uncapping No removal

Removal

U_R_ * *

u_R_ * *

U_r_ * *

u_r_ * *

Artificial Selection - Drosophila geotaxis

Selection of positively and negativelygeotactic Drosophila

Fast maters Control Slow maters

Artificial selection - mating speed in Drosophila

First half of maters

Second half of maters

Repeat for 25 generations

Got three distinct lines

Fast - 3 mins Control - 5 mins Slow - 80 mins

Hybridization Experiments - Lovebirds

Peach-faced Fischer’s

Hybridization experiments - Sokolowski

Path length Path length

Sitter Rover Sitter RoverP1

Path length

Sitter Rover

Path length

Sitter Rover

F1 F1x

E. Parent Offspring Regression

Activity scores with Drosophila

Offspring

Mid-parent score (P1 + P2)2

••

•

•

••

•••

•

••

• •

•

Slope = heritability

F. Comparative approach - Temperature selection in Peromyscus

Preferred Temperature (Adults)

-5

0

5

10

15

Dunce and rutabaga genes - Drosophila

ATP

Adenylyl cyclase

cAMP cAMP phosphodiesterase

PKA

activates

Binds and activates

Turns on genes that cause changes in structure and function of nerve

cells that govern memory

CREB

What about genes that affect larger collections of behavioural acts?

fosB gene in mice

Brown et al. 1996. A defect in nurturing in mice lacking the immediate early gene fosB. Cell 86: 297 - 309