Neurogenomic mechanisms of female competition in a socially polyandrous shorebird |
Sara Lipshutz1,2,3, Tessa Patton2, Kimberly Rosvall3. 1Duke University, Durham, North Carolina, United States; 2Loyola University Chicago, Chicago, Illinois, United States; 3Indiana University Bloomington, Bloomington, Indiana, United States |
Socially polyandrous mating systems, in which females compete for multiple mates, have been valuable for testing whether predictions derived from males are upheld in females. We explored the molecular mechanisms of social polyandry in northern jacanas (Jacana spinosa). We hypothesized that differences in competition and parental care are reflected in the neurogenomic profiles of females, courting males, and parenting males. We conducted RNA-Seq on two brain regions associated with the regulation of social behavior. We identified multiple gene networks associated with competitive traits, including aggression, weaponry, and gonad size. These networks were enriched for biological processes including myelination, morphogenesis, and spermatogenesis. Several hundred genes were differentially expressed genes between sexes, including androgen receptor (AR), which had higher expression in females, and prolactin receptor (PRLR), which had higher expression in parenting males. In other species, these genes have been associated with male competition and female parental care, suggesting that the mechanisms associated with these behaviors may be universal, regardless of which sex performs them. |