The role of neuropeptide F in a transition to parental care

The genetics of complex social behaviour can be dissected by examining the genetic influences of component pathways, which can be predicted based on expected evolutionary precursors. Here, we examine how gene expression in a pathway that influences the motivation to eat is altered during parental care that involves direct feeding of larvae. We examine the expression of neuropeptide F, and its receptor, in the burying beetle Nicrophorus vespilloides, which feeds pre-digested carrion to its begging larvae. We found that the npf receptor was greatly reduced during active care. Our research provides evidence that feeding behaviour was a likely target during the evolution of parental care in N. vespilloides. Moreover, dissecting complex behaviours into ethologically distinct sub-behaviours is a productive way to begin to target the genetic mechanisms involved in the evolution of complex behaviours.

复杂社会行为的遗传学机制可通过解析其组成通路的遗传调控效应得以阐释，而这些通路可基于预期的进化前体进行预测。本研究聚焦于一类调控进食动机的通路，探讨在需直接抚育幼虫的育幼行为过程中，该通路的基因表达变化情况。在以预消化腐肉饲喂乞食幼虫的埋葬虫（Nicrophorus vespilloides）中，我们检测了神经肽F（neuropeptide F，NPF）及其受体的表达水平。研究发现，在育幼活跃期，npf受体的表达水平显著下调。本研究证实，进食行为极有可能是斑埋葬甲（Nicrophorus vespilloides）育幼行为进化过程中的作用靶点。此外，将复杂行为按照行为学特征拆解为独立的子行为，是解析复杂行为进化相关遗传机制的有效研究路径。