The Serotonin Receptor HTR1A Is Generally Conserved Across Primates and Within a Primate Species (Sapajus apella)
Open AccessPrimates, arguably more than any other mammalian group, exhibit social behaviors that are highly variable and complex. Understanding this behavioral variation can provide insights into the environment and evolution of social dynamics. Behavioral variation is influenced by a complicated mix of biological and environmental factors. Regarding the former, serotonin is a neurotransmitter that regulates personality and influences behavior. There are genetic links to serotonin production and uptake, which are important to study from a molecular perspective to better understand variation in behavioral style. Genetic variation can potentially influence behavior by altering brain physiology in conjugation with environmental factors. Previous studies of the serotonin system have focused on the serotonin transporter gene (SLC6A4) but have largely ignored the serotonin receptors (e.g., HTR1A). Recent research on the serotonin receptor gene (HTR1A) examined genetic variants within a sample of captive western chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes verus) and found evidence of a C743A SNP (single nucleotide polymorphism) associated with variation in prosocial behavior. Similarly, this study explores genetic variations in the HTR1A gene across primates and within a sample of tufted capuchin monkeys (Sapajus apella), for which there are matched behavioral phenotypic data. Blood samples were collected from six captive Sapajus apella by researchers at the Georgia State University Language Research Center; the current research was part of an ongoing project examining cognition and behavioral variation in this species. DNA was extracted, a segment of HTR1A was amplified using PCR, and sequenced in both directions using Sanger sequencing. There was no genetic variation in HTR1A detected within this sample of Sapajus apella. Additionally, patterns of protein evolution for the HTR1A gene across primates were analyzed using MEGA phylogenetic tree construction in combination with proxies for protein and DNA similarity among twenty primate reference genomes to provide a broader context for the molecular evolution of HTR1A. My findings indicate this gene is generally conserved both within and across primate species, though some primate lineages show signals of positive selection. Understanding genetic variation - or lack thereof - associated with behavioral variation is a crucial first step to understanding differences in primate behavioral style and can provide insights into our own species’ variation in behavioral tendencies.
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Lopergolo_gwu_0075M_15979.pdf | 2022-10-04 | Open Access |
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