Special Issue "Selecting the Genetics of Behavior, Cognition, and Intelligence in Domestic Animals"

A special issue of Animals (ISSN 2076-2615). This special issue belongs to the section "Animal Genetics and Genomics".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 30 November 2021.

Special Issue Editor

Dr. Francisco Javier Navas González
E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Genetics Department, Faculty of Veterinary Sciences, University of Córdoba, Rabanales University Campus, 14071 Córdoba, Spain
Interests: quantitative and molecular genetics; behavior and cognitive genetics; functional genetics and advanced biostatistics

Special Issue Information

Animal domestication is a complex process whose impacts on behavior are commonly underrated. Genetic factors may play a significant role in both species-specific behaviors and behavioral and cognitive differences exhibited by individuals in the same species. Contextually, exploring the impact of increased intensities of selection on domestic animal behavior can lead to the discovery of new functional niches and selection criteria for domestic species, which may end in a perfect symbiosis, after which both humans and animals could benefit.

To this aim, this Special Issue focuses on studying the genetic background behind behavior functional traits, quantifying the degree in which such features are inherited and evaluating the development of models controlling the factors conditioning the expression of certain behavior functional features as a comprehensive way to shed light into the genetic fraction involved in these often-unknown traits. Discussions of genetics and behavior may be useful to veterinarians, livestock producers, laboratory animal researchers and technicians, animal trainers and breeders, and any researcher interested in animal behavior, given the potential benefits that may be linked to the special psychological nature of domestic species as facilitators of learning processes and for the development of key life skills and confidence building for a wide spectrum of vulnerable people, or whose knowledge may lead to the improvement of welfare and animal care.

Dr. Francisco Javier Navas González
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All papers will be peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Animals is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 1800 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • cognitive processes
  • behavior
  • intelligence quotient
  • animal assisted therapy
  • selection
  • ethology
  • quantitative and molecular genetics
  • biostatistics
  • animal modeling
  • association studies

Published Papers (2 papers)

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Research

Communication
Cape Feather Coloration Signals Different Genotypes of the Most Polymorphic MHC Locus in Male Golden Pheasants (Chrysolophus pictus)
Animals 2021, 11(2), 276; https://doi.org/10.3390/ani11020276 - 22 Jan 2021
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Abstract
Ornamental feather coloration is usually a reflection of male quality and plays an important role during courtship, whereas the essence of male quality at the genetic level is not well understood. Major histocompatibility complex (MHC)-based mate choice has been observed in various vertebrates. [...] Read more.
Ornamental feather coloration is usually a reflection of male quality and plays an important role during courtship, whereas the essence of male quality at the genetic level is not well understood. Major histocompatibility complex (MHC)-based mate choice has been observed in various vertebrates. Here, we investigated the relationship between the coloration of cape feathers and the MHC genotypes in golden pheasants (Chrysolophus pictus). We found that feather coloration differed sharply among different individuals (brightness: 1827.20 ± 759.43, chroma: 1241.90 ± 468.21, hue: 0.46 ± 0.06). Heterozygous individuals at the most polymorphic MHC locus (IA2) had brighter feathers than homozygous individuals (Z = −2.853, p = 0.004) and were more saturated in color (Z = −2.853, p = 0.004). However, feather coloration was not related to other MHC loci or to overall genetic heterozygosity (p > 0.050). Our study suggested that coloration of cape feathers might signal IA2 genotypes in golden pheasants. Full article
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Article
Exploring the Genetic Background of the Differences in Nest-Building Behavior in European Rabbit
Animals 2020, 10(9), 1579; https://doi.org/10.3390/ani10091579 - 04 Sep 2020
Viewed by 614
Abstract
Once a day, nursing and absentee mothering make the wild rabbit (Oryctolagus cuniculus) an ideal model animal for measuring differences in maternal behavior. Behavioral events and their hormonal regulation leading to parturition are well documented; however, the genetic background behind individual [...] Read more.
Once a day, nursing and absentee mothering make the wild rabbit (Oryctolagus cuniculus) an ideal model animal for measuring differences in maternal behavior. Behavioral events and their hormonal regulation leading to parturition are well documented; however, the genetic background behind individual differences in this complex process is unknown. Decreased progesterone hormone level and the reduction of progesterone receptor activity are crucial to initiating the collection of nest material. The progesterone receptor gene is a likely candidate affecting nest-building behavior. In addition to several known point mutations in the progesterone receptor gene of the European wild rabbit, we have found a new mutation in the promoter region of the gene at 2682 T > C. Although this new single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) was not involved in the formation of the nest-building behavior, an SNP (2464G > A) already described in the promoter region showed an association with individual differences in the initiation of hay carrying. The distribution of this SNP delivered an opposite result compared to domestic rabbits. Genotype (GG) with high uterine capacity was most frequent; the hereditary value of the trait was h2 = 0.10. Thus, progesterone receptor gene polymorphism may manifest in individual differences affecting breeding success in this species. Full article
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