Convergent thyroid-ATPase interactions regulate collective behavior in Danionella
In the study associated with these data we investigated the genetic regulators of collective schooling behavior in a schooling fish species Danionella cerebrum by applying RNA sequencing to the brains of animals with impaired or immature social behavior: juvenile animals, socially-isolated adults, and crispants of ASD risk genes. We compared up- and down-regulated genes across these conditions and identified common differentially expressed genes related to the thyroid signaling pathway and circadian rhythm-regulating genes, as well as the transcription factor klf9 and the ATPase subunit atp1a1a.4. These findings were confirmed using targeted genetic and pharmacological manipulation, demonstrating convergent genetic pathways regulating social interactions and collective behavior in schooling fish.