The influence of rearing on behavior, brain monoamines and gene expression in three-spined sticklebacks

Robin N Abbey-Lee - Linköping University, Institutionen för fysik, kemi och biologi

Emily J Uhrig - Stockholm University, Department of Zoology

Josefina Zidar - Linköping University, Institutionen för fysik, kemi och biologi

Anna Favati - Stockholm University, Department of Zoology

Johan Almberg - Linköping University, Institutionen för fysik, kemi och biologi,

Josefin Dahlblom - Uppsala University, Department of Neuroscience

Svante Winberg - Uppsala University, Department of Neuroscience

Hanne Løvlie - Linköpings University, Institutionen för fysik, kemi och biologi

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Data file for the study: The influence of rearing on behavior, brain monoamines, and gene expression in three-spined sticklebacks, RN Abbey-Lee, EJ Uhrig, J Zidar, A Favati, J Almberg, J Dahlblom, S Winberg, H Lovlie.

Corresponding Author: H Lovlie, hanne.lovlie@liu.se

File contents: All data used for the study- including treatment status, behaviour, qPCR gene expression, and HPLC-EC monoamine levels.
The causes of individual variation in behavior are often not well understood, and potential underlying mechanisms include both intrinsic and extrinsic factors, such as early environmental, physiological, and genetic differences.

In an exploratory laboratory study, we raised three-spined sticklebacks (Gasterosteus aculeatus) under 4 different environmental conditions (simulated predator environment, complex environment, variable social environment, and control). We investigated how these manipulations related to behavior, brain physiology and gene expression later in life, with focus on brain dopamine and serotonin levels, turnover rates, and gene expression.

The different rearing environments influenced behavior and gene expression, but did not alter monoamine levels or metabolites. Specifically, compared to control fish, fish exposed to a simulated predator environment tended to be less aggressive, more exploratory, and more neophobic; and fish raised in both complex and variable social environments tended to be less neophobic. Exposure to a simulated predator environment tended to lower expression of dopamine receptor DRD4A, a complex environment increased expression of dopamine receptor DRD1B, while a variable social environment tended to increase serotonin receptor 5-HTR2B and increased serotonin transporter SLC6A4A expression. Despite both behavior and gene expression varying with early environment, there was no evidence that gene expression mediated the relationship between early environment and behavior.

Our results confirm that environmental conditions early in life can affect phenotypic variation. However, the mechanistic pathway of the monoaminergic systems translating early environmental variation into observed behavioral responses was not detected. Show less..