gene expression difference underlying difference in song learning ability between hybrid songbirds and the parental species

The purpose of this study is to reveal the genetic mechanism that generates differences in song syllable learning abilities in two songbird species: the zebra finch (Taeniopygia guttata), cherry finch (Aidemosyne modesta), and their inter-species F1 hybrids. The F1 hybrids showed enhanced syllable learning ability compared to their parental species. Song production is regulated by a conserved neural circuit called the song system. In this project, song nuclei HVC and RA, which regulate syllable sequence pattern and acoustics, are targeted and collected as samples. We speculate that the F1 hybrids have differentially expressed genes in neurons that contribute to song regulation.