title: Gene bionetworks involved in the epigenetic transgenerational inheritance of altered mate preference: environmental epigenetics and evolutionary biology.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Mate preference behavior is an essential first step in sexual selection and is a critical determinant in evolutionary biology. Previously an environmental compound (the fungicide vinclozolin) was found to promote the epigenetic transgenerational inheritance of an altered sperm epigenome and modified mate preference characteristics for three generations after exposure of a gestating female.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The current study investigated gene networks involved in various regions of the brain that correlated with the altered mate preference behavior in the male and female. Statistically significant correlations of gene clusters and modules were identified to associate with specific mate preference behaviors. This novel systems biology approach identified gene networks (bionetworks) involved in sex-specific mate preference behavior. Observations demonstrate the ability of environmental factors to promote the epigenetic transgenerational inheritance of this altered evolutionary biology determinant.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Combined observations elucidate the potential molecular control of mate preference behavior and suggests environmental epigenetics can have a role in evolutionary biology.
authors.affiliation: Center for Reproductive Biology, School of Biological Sciences, Washington State University, Pullman, WA 99164-4236, USA. skinner@wsu.edu.
authors.forename: Michael K
authors.initials: MK
authors.lastname: Skinner
authors.forename: Marina I
authors.initials: MI
authors.lastname: Savenkova
authors.forename: Bin
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Andrea C
authors.initials: AC
authors.lastname: Gore
authors.forename: David
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Crews
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D005075:Biological Evolution; D001921:Brain / Q000378:metabolism; D016000:Cluster Analysis; D004777:Environment; D044127:Epigenesis, Genetic; D005260:Female; D020869:Gene Expression Profiling; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation; D053263:Gene Regulatory Networks; D059647:Gene-Environment Interaction; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D019655:Quantitative Trait, Heritable; D051381:Rats; D012726:Sexual Behavior, Animal; D015398:Signal Transduction