Red fox genome assembly identifies genomic regions associated with tame and aggressive behaviors

Johnson, Jennifer L.

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https://hdl.handle.net/2142/99248 Copy

Description

Title

Red fox genome assembly identifies genomic regions associated with tame and aggressive behaviors

Author(s)

Johnson, Jennifer L.

Issue Date

2017-12-11

Director of Research (if dissertation) or Advisor (if thesis)

Kukekova, Anna V.

Committee Member(s)

• Beever, Johnathan
• Rodriguez-Zas, Sandra

Department of Study

Animal Sciences

Discipline

Bioinformatics

Degree Granting Institution

University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

Degree Name

M.S.

Degree Level

Thesis

Keyword(s)

• Genomics
• Bioinformatics
• Vulpes vulpes

Abstract

Strains of red fox (Vulpes vulpes) with markedly different behavioral phenotypes have been developed in the famous long-term selective breeding program known as the Russian farm-fox experiment. Here we sequenced and assembled the red fox genome and re-sequenced a subset of foxes from the tame, aggressive, and conventional farm-bred populations to identify genomic regions associated with the response to selection for behavior. Analysis of the resequenced genomes identified 113 regions with either significantly decreased heterozygosity in one of the three populations or increased divergence between the populations. A strong positional candidate gene for tame behavior was highlighted: SorCS1, which encodes the main trafficking protein for AMPA glutamate receptors and neurexins and suggests a role for synaptic plasticity in fox domestication. Other regions identified as likely to have been under selection in foxes during domestication include genes implicated in human neurological disorders, in mouse behavior, and in dog domestication. The fox represents a powerful model for the genetic analysis of affiliative and aggressive behaviors that can benefit genetic studies of behavior in dogs and other mammals, including humans.

Graduation Semester

2017-12

Type of Resource

text

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http://hdl.handle.net/2142/99248

Copyright and License Information

Copyright 2017 Jennifer Johnson

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