The loss of a spouse is often cited as the most traumatic event in person’s life. However, for people, severity grief and its maladaptive effects subside over time via an understudied adaptive process. Like humans, socially monogamous prairie voles ( Microtus ochrogaster ) form opposite-sex pair bonds, upon partner separation, show stress phenotypes that diminish time. We test hypothesis extended separation diminishes bond-associated behaviors causes bond transcriptional signatures to erode....

The double membrane nuclear envelope (NE), which is contiguous with the ER, contains pore complexes (NPCs) - channels for nucleocytoplasmic transport, and lamina (NL) a scaffold NE chromatin organization. Since numerous human diseases linked to proteins occur in mesenchyme-derived cells, we used proteomics characterize other subcellular fractions isolated from mesenchymal stem cells adipocytes myocytes. Based on spectral abundance, calculated enrichment scores fractions. We demonstrated by...

Oxytocin ( Oxtr ) and dopamine Drd1 , Drd2 receptors provide a canonical example for how differences in neuromodulatory drive individual species-level behavioral variation. These systems exhibit striking functionally-relevant nucleus accumbens (NAc) expression across monogamous prairie voles Microtus ochrogaster promiscuous meadow pennsylvanicus ). However, their cellular organization remains largely unknown. Using multiplex situ hybridization, we mapped sexually naïve mate-paired voles....

Prairie voles ( Microtus ochrogaster ) are a powerful model for studying the neurobiology of social bonding, yet tools region- and cell type-specific gene regulation remain underdeveloped in this species. Here, we present lentivirus-mediated CRISPR activation interference (CRISPRa/i) platform somatic modulation prairie vole brain. This system enables non-mutagenic, titratable expression adult brain without germline modification. Our dual-vector includes one construct expressing dCas9-VPR...

In rodents, the preovulatory LH surge is temporally gated, but timing cue unknown. Estrogen primes neurons in anteroventral periventricular nucleus (AVPV) to secrete kisspeptin, which potently activates GnRH release GnRH, eliciting a of induce ovulation. Deletion circadian clock gene Bmal1 results infertility. Previous studies have found that knockout (KO) females do not display an at any time day. We sought determine whether neuroendocrine disruption contributes absence surge. Because Kiss1...

Abstract In pair bonding animals, coordinated behavior between partners is required for the to accomplish shared goals such as raising young. Despite this, experimental designs rarely assess of both within a bonded pair. Thus, we lack an understanding interdependent behavioral dynamics that likely facilitate relationship success. To identify intra‐pair correlates bonding, used socially monogamous prairie voles ( Microtus ochrogaster ) and tested using social choice non‐choice tests at short‐...

As relationships mature, partners share common goals, improve their ability to work together, and experience coordinated emotions. However, the neural underpinnings responsible for this unique, pair-specific remain largely unexplored. Here, we used single nucleus RNA-sequencing examine transcriptional landscape of accumbens (NAc) in socially monogamous prairie voles peer or mating-based relationships. We show that, regardless pairing type, exhibit synchrony with a partner. Further, identify...

Gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH), a neuropeptide released from small population of neurons in the hypothalamus, is central mediator hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal axis, and required for normal reproductive development function. Evolutionarily conserved regulatory elements mouse, rat, human Gnrh1 gene include three enhancers proximal promoter, which confer expression specifically GnRH neurons. In immortalized mouse hypothalamic (GT1-7) neurons, show pulsatile release culture, RNA...

Coordinated migration of the mesoderm is essential for accurate organization body plan during embryogenesis. However, little known about how influences posterior neural tube closure in mammals. Here, we show that spinal and lateral caudal paraxial depend on transmembrane protein 132A (TMEM132A), a single-pass type I protein, function which not fully understood. Our study Tmem132a-null mice cell models demonstrates TMEM132A regulates several integrins downstream integrin pathway activation as...

Abstract The loss of a spouse is often cited as the most traumatic event in person’s life. However, for people, severity grief and its maladaptive effects subside over time via an understudied adaptive process. Like humans, socially monogamous prairie voles ( Microtus ochrogaster ) form opposite-sex pair bonds, upon partner separation, show stress phenotypes that diminish time. We test hypothesis extended separation diminishes bond-associated behaviors causes bond transcriptional signatures...

Disruptions to the circadian system alter reproductive capacity, particularly in females. Mice lacking core clock gene, Bmal1, are infertile and have evidence of neuroendocrine disruption including absence preovulatory luteinizing hormone (LH) surge enhanced responsiveness exogenous kisspeptin. Here, we explore role Bmal1 suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN) neuron populations known project axis. We generated four mouse lines using Cre/Lox technology create conditional deletion arginine vasopressin...

Abstract In pair bonding animals, coordinated behavior between partners is required for the to accomplish shared goals such as raising young. Despite this, experimental designs rarely assess of both within a bonded pair. Thus, we lack an understanding interdependent behavioral dynamics that likely facilitate relationship success. To identify intra-pair correlates bonding, used socially monogamous prairie voles, species in which females and males exhibit overlapping distinct bond behaviors....

Problem solving, particularly in disciplines such as genetics, is an essential but difficult competency for students to master. Prior work indicated that trace data can be leveraged measure the invisible cognitive processes undergird learning activities problem solving. Building on prior and given importance difficulties associated with genetics we used unsupervised statistical methods (k-means clustering feature selection) characterize patterns of use during solving relationship proximal...

The use of the hypothalamic peptide kisspeptin is a novel treatment for infertility. preovulatory luteinizing hormone (LH) surge occurs in hypothalamic‐pituitary‐gonadal axis to initiate ovulation. Estrogen primes (Kiss1) neurons anteroventral periventricular nucleus (AVPV) secrete kisspeptin, which potently activates gonadotropin‐releasing (GnRH) release pulse GnRH, eliciting LH prompt A critical component this temporal gating. Knockout Bmal1 ‐ molecular circadian clock produces arrhythmic...

Abstract The nuclear envelope (NE) is an endoplasmic reticulum (ER) subdomain that contains characteristic components dedicated to functions. These include pore complexes (NPCs) – the channels for nucleocytoplasmic transport, and lamina (NL) a scaffold NE chromatin organization at periphery. Since numerous human diseases associated with NE/NL proteins occur in mesenchyme-derived cells, more comprehensive characterization of concentrated these cell types warranted. Accordingly, we used...