The genetic architecture of socially-affected traits: a GWAS for direct and indirect genetic effects on survival time in laying hens showing cannibalism

Brinker, Tessa; Bijma, P.; Vereijken, Addie; Ellen, E.D.

doi:10.1186/s12711-018-0409-7

Cited by 19 publications

(21 citation statements)

References 33 publications

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“…By contrast, extremely strong associations were found when we investigated association between group-level phenotype and colony allele frequencies, despite a sample size of only nine colonies in our final analysis. In addition, the heritability of the group-level phenotype (0.63) is unusually strong for a behavioral trait (13,19) and is more heritable when compared with individual phenotypes, even though the group-level heritability measures the degree to which variation in individual genomes accounts for variation in group phenotype. This raises the possibility that the additional power and heritability observed when measuring the group aggression phenotype may be partly a result of this phenotype being a more accurate measure of individual mean aggression than individual stinging.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Social behaviors are especially sensitive to the environment, yet the social environment is at least partly determined by the genotypes of other individuals in a social group (16). Such feedback effects (17) can complicate analyses, specifically for genome-wide association studies (GWAS) (18,19). Indirect effects within groups also have profound implications for evolutionary selection, potentially leading Significance Honey bee colony defense is an emergent trait composed of individual aggressive responses.…”

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confidence: 99%

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Genomic regions influencing aggressive behavior in honey bees are defined by colony allele frequencies

Avalos

Fang

Pan

et al. 2020

Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A.

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For social animals, the genotypes of group members affect the social environment, and thus individual behavior, often indirectly. We used genome-wide association studies (GWAS) to determine the influence of individual vs. group genotypes on aggression in honey bees. Aggression in honey bees arises from the coordinated actions of colony members, primarily nonreproductive “soldier” bees, and thus, experiences evolutionary selection at the colony level. Here, we show that individual behavior is influenced by colony environment, which in turn, is shaped by allele frequency within colonies. Using a population with a range of aggression, we sequenced individual whole genomes and looked for genotype–behavior associations within colonies in a common environment. There were no significant correlations between individual aggression and specific alleles. By contrast, we found strong correlations between colony aggression and the frequencies of specific alleles within colonies, despite a small number of colonies. Associations at the colony level were highly significant and were very similar among both soldiers and foragers, but they covaried with one another. One strongly significant association peak, containing an ortholog of the Drosophila sensory gene dpr4 on linkage group (chromosome) 7, showed strong signals of both selection and admixture during the evolution of gentleness in a honey bee population. We thus found links between colony genetics and group behavior and also, molecular evidence for group-level selection, acting at the colony level. We conclude that group genetics dominates individual genetics in determining the fatal decision of honey bees to sting.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

mentioning

confidence: 99%

Genomic regions influencing aggressive behavior in honey bees are defined by colony allele frequencies

Avalos

Fang

Pan

et al. 2020

Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A.

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“…This leads to the suggestion that GABA may also influence social behavior in chickens. Brinker et al [41] found a GABAergic system related candidate gene (GABBR2, Chromosome 2) for direct genetic effects for survival time which is linked to cannibalism in crossbred laying hens. Lutz et al [6] found a candidate gene (SLC12A9) on Chromosome 9 for FPD in a study of a large F2 cross of the HFP and LFP lines.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Genomewide Mapping of Selection Signatures and Genes for Extreme Feather Pecking in Two Divergently Selected Laying Hen Lines

Iffland

Wellmann

Schmid

et al. 2020

Animals

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Feather pecking (FP) is a longstanding serious problem in commercial flocks of laying hens. It is a highly polygenic trait and the genetic background is still not completely understood. In order to find genomic regions influencing FP, selection signatures between laying hen lines divergently selected for high and low feather pecking were mapped using the intra-population iHS and the inter-population FST approach. In addition, the existence of an extreme subgroup of FP hens (EFP) across both selected lines has been demonstrated by fitting a mixture of negative binomial distributions to the data and calculating the posterior probability of belonging to the extreme subgroup (pEFP) for each hen. A genomewide association study (GWAS) was performed for the traits pEFP and FP delivered (FPD) with a subsequent post GWAS analysis. Mapping of selection signatures revealed no clear regions under selection. GWAS revealed a region on Chromosome 1, where the existence of a QTL influencing FP is likely. The candidate genes found in this region are a part of the GABAergic system, which has already been linked to FP in previous studies. Despite the polygenic nature of FP, selection on these candidate genes may reduce FP.

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“…Mapping results based on selection signatures between the lines [29] and association results from the F2 cross with approximately 900 individuals were jointly analyzed in a meta-study [30], revealing 13 clusters of significantly associated markers and pointing to a candidate gene that might also be related to monoamine signaling. Brinker et al (2018) performed a genome-wide association study (GWAS) for the DGE and IGE with respect to survival time in crossbred laying hens showing FP [31]. Their results suggest a link with the GABAergic system, which supports existing evidence for the involvement of gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA; which plays a role in the regulation of neurotransmitters in the brain) in the development of abnormal behaviors [32,33,34].…”

Section: Understanding Feather Pecking Through “-Omics” Approachesmentioning

confidence: 82%

Review of Sensor Technologies in Animal Breeding: Phenotyping Behaviors of Laying Hens to Select Against Feather Pecking

Ellen

Sluis

Siegford

et al. 2019

Animals

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Damaging behaviors, like feather pecking (FP), have large economic and welfare consequences in the commercial laying hen industry. Selective breeding can be used to obtain animals that are less likely to perform damaging behavior on their pen-mates. However, with the growing tendency to keep birds in large groups, identifying specific birds that are performing or receiving FP is difficult. With current developments in sensor technologies, it may now be possible to identify laying hens in large groups that show less FP behavior and select them for breeding. We propose using a combination of sensor technology and genomic methods to identify feather peckers and victims in groups. In this review, we will describe the use of “-omics” approaches to understand FP and give an overview of sensor technologies that can be used for animal monitoring, such as ultra-wideband, radio frequency identification, and computer vision. We will then discuss the identification of indicator traits from both sensor technologies and genomics approaches that can be used to select animals for breeding against damaging behavior.

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The genetic architecture of socially-affected traits: a GWAS for direct and indirect genetic effects on survival time in laying hens showing cannibalism

Cited by 19 publications

References 33 publications

Genomic regions influencing aggressive behavior in honey bees are defined by colony allele frequencies

Genomic regions influencing aggressive behavior in honey bees are defined by colony allele frequencies

Genomewide Mapping of Selection Signatures and Genes for Extreme Feather Pecking in Two Divergently Selected Laying Hen Lines

Review of Sensor Technologies in Animal Breeding: Phenotyping Behaviors of Laying Hens to Select Against Feather Pecking

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