Hi Everyone,
We were asked to circulate information for a couple of upcoming talks in the Biology Department that might
be of interest to some of you. Please see below for more information.
Best Regards,
The CRAM Team
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Dr. David Mets (University of California, San Francisco) will be giving two
seminars on the neural and genetic basis of vocal communication and learning
for the Biology department. Dr. Mets is a skilled research who has
published impactful papers in Cell, Science, PNAS, and eLife, and I hope you
can join us for these presentations.
January 17, 2020, 12:30 pm, Stewart N7/2
Title: Genetic and experiential influences on vocal learning in songbirds
Abstract: Learning reflects the influence of experience on genetically
determined circuitry, but little is known about how experience and genetics
interact to determine learned phenotypes. Here, we use vocal learning in
songbirds to study genetic influences on learned behavior. We first show
that the tempo of learned song is strongly influenced by genetics. However,
increasing richness of the learning experience from weak (tutoring by
computer) to strong (tutoring by a live bird) reduces this genetic influence
in favour of experiential influence. Further, we demonstrate that the
overall quality of learning can be impacted by similar gene/experience
interactions. Our results demonstrate that genetic influences on learned
behavior can be profoundly dependent on individual experience such that
increasing the richness of instruction can overcome even strong genetic bias
and tailoring instructive experience to individual genetic bias can improve
learning.
January 20, 2020, 4 pm, Stewart N7/2
Title: Molecular and genetic influences on birdsong, a complex learned
behavior
?Abstract: The historical success of the human species has relied on humans
ability to learn complex behaviors such as speech, but the mechanisms that
underlie this ability remain poorly understood. To gain insight into
similarly complex behaviors we use an unbiased genetic linkage analysis to
identify genes and genomic regions that drive individual-to-individual
variation in birdsong, a complex behavior learned in a prcess similar to
human speech learning. We focus on song tempo, which we have shown to be
influenced by genetic variation; when combined with a specific learning
experience, genetic bias for tempo can drive variation in learning outcomes
for many song features. In our large outbred population of Bengalese
finches, we identify three regions of the genome which are significantly
liked to variation in song tempo. One of these regions contains a single
gene, SLC29a11, encoding a transporter of soluble Zinc homologous to Zrt and
Irt like transporter 11 (ZIP11) and, a gene not previously implicated in
behavior or learning. We find SLC39a11 transcript and ZIP11 protein are
present in many regions of the finch brain including the excitatory neurons
in the brain region HVC, a neuron class and a brain region known to be
involved in regulation of song tempo. Reduction of SLC39a11 expression
levels resulted in a decrease in song tempo while a reduction of soluble
zinc levels increased song tempo. HVC excitatory neurons have increase
firing rates when soluble Zinc is reduces, consistent with an increase in
song tempo. Using unbiased genetic linkage analysis we have identified a
novel mechanism driving individual variation in a complex learned behavior.
Please contact Jon Sakata (jon.sakata(a)mcgill.ca) if you would like to meet
with David on Friday or Monday.