Epigenetic remodelling of brain, body and behaviour during phase change in locusts.

Malcolm Burrows, Stephen M Rogers, Swidbert R Ott
{"title":"Epigenetic remodelling of brain, body and behaviour during phase change in locusts.","authors":"Malcolm Burrows, Stephen M Rogers, Swidbert R Ott","doi":"10.1186/2042-1001-1-11","DOIUrl":null,"url":null,"abstract":"<p><p> The environment has a central role in shaping developmental trajectories and determining the phenotype so that animals are adapted to the specific conditions they encounter. Epigenetic mechanisms can have many effects, with changes in the nervous and musculoskeletal systems occurring at different rates. How is the function of an animal maintained whilst these transitions happen? Phenotypic plasticity can change the ways in which animals respond to the environment and even how they sense it, particularly in the context of social interactions between members of their own species. In the present article, we review the mechanisms and consequences of phenotypic plasticity by drawing upon the desert locust as an unparalleled model system. Locusts change reversibly between solitarious and gregarious phases that differ dramatically in appearance, general physiology, brain function and structure, and behaviour. Solitarious locusts actively avoid contact with other locusts, but gregarious locusts may live in vast, migrating swarms dominated by competition for scarce resources and interactions with other locusts. Different phase traits change at different rates: some behaviours take just a few hours, colouration takes a lifetime and the muscles and skeleton take several generations. The behavioural demands of group living are reflected in gregarious locusts having substantially larger brains with increased space devoted to higher processing. Phase differences are also apparent in the functioning of identified neurons and circuits. The whole transformation process of phase change pivots on the initial and rapid behavioural decision of whether or not to join with other locusts. The resulting positive feedback loops from the presence or absence of other locusts drives the process to completion. Phase change is accompanied by dramatic changes in neurochemistry, but only serotonin shows a substantial increase during the critical one- to four-hour window during which gregarious behaviour is established. Blocking the action of serotonin or its synthesis prevents the establishment of gregarious behaviour. Applying serotonin or its agonists promotes the acquisition of gregarious behaviour even in a locust that has never encountered another locust. The analysis of phase change in locusts provides insights into a feedback circuit between the environment and epigenetic mechanisms and more generally into the neurobiology of social interaction.</p>","PeriodicalId":89606,"journal":{"name":"Neural systems & circuits","volume":"1 1","pages":"11"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0000,"publicationDate":"2011-07-26","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3314403/pdf/","citationCount":"0","resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":null,"PeriodicalName":"Neural systems & circuits","FirstCategoryId":"1085","ListUrlMain":"https://doi.org/10.1186/2042-1001-1-11","RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":null,"ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":null,"EPubDate":"","PubModel":"","JCR":"","JCRName":"","Score":null,"Total":0}
引用次数: 0

Abstract

The environment has a central role in shaping developmental trajectories and determining the phenotype so that animals are adapted to the specific conditions they encounter. Epigenetic mechanisms can have many effects, with changes in the nervous and musculoskeletal systems occurring at different rates. How is the function of an animal maintained whilst these transitions happen? Phenotypic plasticity can change the ways in which animals respond to the environment and even how they sense it, particularly in the context of social interactions between members of their own species. In the present article, we review the mechanisms and consequences of phenotypic plasticity by drawing upon the desert locust as an unparalleled model system. Locusts change reversibly between solitarious and gregarious phases that differ dramatically in appearance, general physiology, brain function and structure, and behaviour. Solitarious locusts actively avoid contact with other locusts, but gregarious locusts may live in vast, migrating swarms dominated by competition for scarce resources and interactions with other locusts. Different phase traits change at different rates: some behaviours take just a few hours, colouration takes a lifetime and the muscles and skeleton take several generations. The behavioural demands of group living are reflected in gregarious locusts having substantially larger brains with increased space devoted to higher processing. Phase differences are also apparent in the functioning of identified neurons and circuits. The whole transformation process of phase change pivots on the initial and rapid behavioural decision of whether or not to join with other locusts. The resulting positive feedback loops from the presence or absence of other locusts drives the process to completion. Phase change is accompanied by dramatic changes in neurochemistry, but only serotonin shows a substantial increase during the critical one- to four-hour window during which gregarious behaviour is established. Blocking the action of serotonin or its synthesis prevents the establishment of gregarious behaviour. Applying serotonin or its agonists promotes the acquisition of gregarious behaviour even in a locust that has never encountered another locust. The analysis of phase change in locusts provides insights into a feedback circuit between the environment and epigenetic mechanisms and more generally into the neurobiology of social interaction.

Abstract Image

Abstract Image

Abstract Image

蝗虫相变过程中大脑、身体和行为的表观遗传重塑。
环境在塑造发育轨迹和决定表型方面起着核心作用,从而使动物适应它们遇到的特定条件。表观遗传机制可以产生许多影响,神经和肌肉骨骼系统的变化以不同的速度发生。当这些转变发生时,动物的功能是如何维持的?表型可塑性可以改变动物对环境的反应方式,甚至改变它们对环境的感知方式,特别是在同一物种成员之间的社会互动中。在本文中,我们回顾了表型可塑性的机制和后果,通过借鉴沙漠蝗作为一个无与伦比的模型系统。蝗虫在独居和群居阶段之间可逆地变化,在外观、一般生理、大脑功能和结构以及行为方面存在巨大差异。独居的蝗虫积极避免与其他蝗虫接触,但群居的蝗虫可能生活在巨大的迁徙群体中,主要是对稀缺资源的竞争和与其他蝗虫的相互作用。不同的阶段特征以不同的速度变化:一些行为只需要几个小时,颜色需要一生的时间,肌肉和骨骼需要几代的时间。群体生活的行为要求反映在群居蝗虫有更大的大脑和更多的空间用于更高的处理。在已识别的神经元和电路的功能中,相位差也很明显。整个相变的转变过程取决于是否加入其他蝗虫的初始和快速行为决策。其他蝗虫的存在或不存在所产生的正反馈循环推动了这一过程的完成。相位变化伴随着神经化学的剧烈变化,但只有血清素在社交行为形成的关键的一到四个小时窗口期显示出明显的增加。阻断血清素的作用或其合成可阻止社交行为的建立。即使在从未遇到过其他蝗虫的蝗虫中,应用血清素或其激动剂也会促进群集行为的获得。对蝗虫相变的分析提供了对环境和表观遗传机制之间的反馈回路以及更广泛的社会互动神经生物学的见解。
本文章由计算机程序翻译,如有差异,请以英文原文为准。
求助全文
约1分钟内获得全文 求助全文
来源期刊
自引率
0.00%
发文量
0
×
引用
GB/T 7714-2015
复制
MLA
复制
APA
复制
导出至
BibTeX EndNote RefMan NoteFirst NoteExpress
×
提示
您的信息不完整,为了账户安全,请先补充。
现在去补充
×
提示
您因"违规操作"
具体请查看互助需知
我知道了
×
提示
确定
请完成安全验证×
copy
已复制链接
快去分享给好友吧!
我知道了
右上角分享
点击右上角分享
0
联系我们:info@booksci.cn Book学术提供免费学术资源搜索服务,方便国内外学者检索中英文文献。致力于提供最便捷和优质的服务体验。 Copyright © 2023 布克学术 All rights reserved.
京ICP备2023020795号-1
ghs 京公网安备 11010802042870号
Book学术文献互助
Book学术文献互助群
群 号:604180095
Book学术官方微信