Andreeva T.V.1,2, Kirgizova V.I.2, Genaev M.A.1, Bragin A.O.1, Gunbin K.V.1, Demenkov P.S.1, Afonnikov D.A.1, Goltsov A.Yu.2, Ershov N.I.1, Grigorenko A.P.1,2,3 and Rogaev E.I.1,2,3
1 Center for Brain Neurobiology and Neurogenetics, Institute of Cytology and Genetics, RAS, Novosibirsk, Russia
2 Vavilov Institute of General Genetics, Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow, Russia
3 Department of Psychiatry, Brudnick Neuropsychiatric Research Institute, University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester, USA
Several strains of silver foxes, selectively bred at the Institute of Cytology and Genetics of the Russian Academy of Sciences for over 50 generation for tameness and aggressive behavior along with nonselected farm-bred strain were used for studying the genetic basis of social behavior and adaptation. We present here the first complete genome sequence draft of wild type fox as well as animals selected for the behavioral traits. We conducted high coverage genome sequencing of wild type and artificially selected foxes using Illumina HiSeq2000 platform and performed de novo assembly of fox genome. Ultimately, the search for genetic variations was conducted by analysis of several complete fox genomes. A comparative analysis of genomes and brain cortex transcriptomes revealed the genes potentially associated with a tame or aggressive behavior in foxes. Mutations in genes for several neurogenic pathways identified specifically in aggressive or vice versa in tamed foxes provided a new insight into a mechanisms of a rapid evolutionary change of behavioral paradigm towards to aggressive or friendly behavior.
Acknowledgement: We thank to Trut L., Markel A. and their co-workers for discussion and collection of the animals and specimens; Herbeck Yu. for assistance in tissue sampling; Kolchanov N.A. for discussion and great support of the work. The work was supported by the Government of the Russian Federation (№ 14.B25.31.0033).