On switches and knobs, microsatellites and monogamy
Abstract
Comparative studies in voles have suggested that a polymorphic microsatellite upstream of the Avpr1a locus contributes to the evolution of monogamy. A recent study challenged this hypothesis by reporting that there is no relationship between microsatellite structure and monogamy in 21 vole species. Although the study demonstrates that the microsatellite is not a universal genetic switch that determines mating strategy, the findings do not preclude a substantial role for Avpr1a in regulating social behaviors associated with monogamy.
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A polymorphic microsatellite element located near proximal regulatory regions of Avpr1a may contribute to the variation in AVPR1A distribution in the brain.
“First identified in comparative genomic studies between prairie and montane voles, a polymorphic microsatellite element located near proximal regulatory regions of Avpr1a may contribute to the variation in AVPR1A distribution in the brain [29, 30].”
From The prairie vole: An emerging model organism for understanding the social brain (2010) · cites this paper as [29]
Length per se does not predict social organization of other Microtus species.
“However, it is now known that length per se does not predict social organization of other Microtus species [29, 32], and sequence variation within the microsatellite may have a greater influence on expression than length itself [3].”
From The prairie vole: An emerging model organism for understanding the social brain (2010) · cites this paper as [29]
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- Authors
- Young, L. J., & Hammock, E. A. D.
- Affiliations
- Emory University (US)
- Vanderbilt University (US)
- Corresponding author
- Young, Larry J.
- Venue
- Trends in Genetics
- Publisher
- Elsevier BV
- Published
- 2007-05
- Volume
- 23
- Issue
- 5
- Pages
- 209-212
- ISSN
- 0168-9525 (ISSN-L)
- OpenAlex
- W1973720597
- Cited by
- 58
- References
- 21
- Citations by year
- 2025: 1 · 2024: 1 · 2021: 1 · 2020: 1 · 2018: 4 · 2017: 2 · 2016: 4 · 2015: 2 · 2014: 5 · 2013: 6 · 2012: 8
- FWCI
- 0.70
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Trends in Genetics (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Funders
- National Science Foundation
- National Institute of Mental Health (MH-64692, K02MH064692, MH 56897)
- Topics
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Social Psychology › Neuroendocrine regulation and behavior
- Life Sciences › Agricultural and Biological Sciences › Ecology, Evolution, Behavior and Systematics › Animal Behavior and Reproduction
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Experimental and Cognitive Psychology › Evolutionary Psychology and Human Behavior
- Keywords
- monogamy, AVPR1A, vasopressin 1a receptor, microsatellite markers, voles, mating systems, evolution of social behavior, genetic polymorphism, comparative genomics
- MeSH terms
- Animals, Arvicolinae, Forecasting, Phylogeny, Polymorphism, Genetic, Sexual Behavior, Animal, Social Behavior, Receptors, Vasopressin, Microsatellite Repeats
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