The effect of a mutation in the thyroid stimulating hormone receptor (TSHR) on development, behaviour and TH levels in domesticated chickens

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Abstract

The thyroid stimulating hormone receptor (TSHR) has been suggested to be a "domestication locus" in the chicken, due to a strong selective sweep over the gene found in domesticated chickens, differentiating them from their wild ancestor the Red Junglefowl (RJF). We investigated the effect of the mutation on development (incubation time), behaviour and thyroid hormone levels in intercross chickens homozygous for the mutation (d/d), wild type homozygotes (w/w) or heterozygotes (d/w). This allowed an assessment of the effect of genotype at this locus against a random mix of RJF and WL genotypes throughout the rest of the genome, controlling for family effects. The d/d genotype showed a longer incubation time, less fearful behaviours, lower number of aggressive behaviours and decreased levels of the thyroid hormone T4, in comparison to the w/w genotype. The difference between TSHR genotypes (d/d vs. w/w) in these respects mirrors the differences in development and behaviour between pure domesticated White Leghorns and pure RJF chickens. Higher individual T3 and T4 levels were associated with more aggression. Our study indicates that the TSHR mutation affects typical domestication traits, possibly through modifying plasma levels of thyroid hormones, and may therefore have been important during the evolution of the domestic chicken.

Figures

  • Table 1. Behaviours recorded in the fear of human and social dominance test.
  • Fig 1. Estimated marginal means for incubation time (±SEM) from first hatch for each genotype/breed. TSHR genotypes: d/d: homozygous for the domestic allele, w/w: homozygous for the wild type allel, and w/d: heterozygous. RJF: Red Junglefowl, WL: White Leghorn. Post-hoc analyses TSHR: bars designated with different letters differ significantly at P<0.05.
  • Table 2. Means (±SEM) of the variables measured in the open field (OF) and social reinstatement (SR) test.
  • Fig 2. Average% of fearful behaviours in the fear of human-test (±SEM) for each genotype and sex of the TSHR chickens. Post-hoc analyses males: bars designated with different letters differ significantly at P<0.05.
  • Fig 3. Average numbers of aggressive behaviours in the social dominance-test (±SEM) for each genotype and sex of the TSHR chickens. Post-hoc analyses females: bars designated with different letters differ significantly at P<0.05.
  • Fig 4. Average plasma concentration (±SEM) for each genotype and sex of the TSHR chickens. (a) Plasma T3 concentration (b) Plasma T4 concentration. Post-hoc analyses, T3 males and T4 females and males: bars designated with different letters differ significantly at P<0.05.

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APA

Karlsson, A. C., Svemer, F., Eriksson, J., Darras, V. M., Andersson, L., & Jensen, P. (2015). The effect of a mutation in the thyroid stimulating hormone receptor (TSHR) on development, behaviour and TH levels in domesticated chickens. PLoS ONE, 10(6). https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0129040

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