title: Domestication Effects on Stress Induced Steroid Secretion and Adrenal Gene Expression in Chickens.
abstract: Understanding the genetic basis of phenotypic diversity is a challenge in contemporary biology. Domestication provides a model for unravelling aspects of the genetic basis of stress sensitivity. The ancestral Red Junglefowl (RJF) exhibits greater fear-related behaviour and a more pronounced HPA-axis reactivity than its domesticated counterpart, the White Leghorn (WL). By comparing hormones (plasmatic) and adrenal global gene transcription profiles between WL and RJF in response to an acute stress event, we investigated the molecular basis for the altered physiological stress responsiveness in domesticated chickens. Basal levels of pregnenolone and dehydroepiandrosterone as well as corticosterone response were lower in WL. Microarray analysis of gene expression in adrenal glands showed a significant breed effect in a large number of transcripts with over-representation of genes in the channel activity pathway. The expression of the best-known steroidogenesis genes were similar across the breeds used. Transcription levels of acute stress response genes such as StAR, CH25 and POMC were upregulated in response to acute stress. Dampened HPA reactivity in domesticated chickens was associated with changes in the expression of several genes that presents potentially minor regulatory effects rather than by means of change in expression of critical steroidogenic genes in the adrenal.
authors.affiliation: AVIAN Behavioural Genomics and Physiology Group, IFMBiology, Linköping University, 58183 Linköping, Sweden.
authors.forename: Amir
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Fallahsharoudi
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry - Biomedical Center, Analytical Chemistry and Science for Life Laboratory, Uppsala University, Box 599, BMC, SE-75124, Uppsala, Sweden.
authors.forename: Neil
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: de Kock
authors.affiliation: AVIAN Behavioural Genomics and Physiology Group, IFMBiology, Linköping University, 58183 Linköping, Sweden.
authors.forename: Martin
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Johnsson
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry - Biomedical Center, Analytical Chemistry and Science for Life Laboratory, Uppsala University, Box 599, BMC, SE-75124, Uppsala, Sweden.
authors.forename: S J Kumari A
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Ubhayasekera
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry - Biomedical Center, Analytical Chemistry and Science for Life Laboratory, Uppsala University, Box 599, BMC, SE-75124, Uppsala, Sweden.
authors.forename: Jonas
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Bergquist
authors.affiliation: AVIAN Behavioural Genomics and Physiology Group, IFMBiology, Linköping University, 58183 Linköping, Sweden.
authors.forename: Dominic
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Wright
authors.affiliation: AVIAN Behavioural Genomics and Physiology Group, IFMBiology, Linköping University, 58183 Linköping, Sweden.
authors.forename: Per
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Jensen
mesh_terms: D000311:Adrenal Glands / Q000378:metabolism*; D000818:Animals; D001141:Aromatase / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D002645:Chickens / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D025924:Chromatography, Supercritical Fluid; D003345:Corticosterone / Q000097:blood / Q000302:isolation & purification; D003687:Dehydroepiandrosterone / Q000097:blood / Q000302:isolation & purification; D005260:Female; D008297:Male; D011284:Pregnenolone / Q000097:blood / Q000302:isolation & purification; D011333:Pro-Opiomelanocortin / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D060888:Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction; D013254:Steroid 17-alpha-Hydroxylase / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D013255:Steroid 21-Hydroxylase / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D013250:Steroid Hydroxylases / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D013256:Steroids / Q000097:blood* / Q000302:isolation & purification; D013312:Stress, Physiological; D053719:Tandem Mass Spectrometry; D015854:Up-Regulation
chemical_list: D013256:Steroids; D003687:Dehydroepiandrosterone; D011333:Pro-Opiomelanocortin; D011284:Pregnenolone; D013250:Steroid Hydroxylases; D001141:Aromatase; D013255:Steroid 21-Hydroxylase; D013254:Steroid 17-alpha-Hydroxylase; C507384:cholesterol 25-hydroxylase; D003345:Corticosterone