Epigenetic regulation of transcriptional plasticity associated with developmental song learning
Open accessAbstract
Ethologists discovered over 100 years ago that some lifelong behavioural patterns were acquired exclusively during restricted developmental phases called critical periods (CPs). Developmental song learning in zebra finches is one of the most striking examples of a CP for complex learned behaviour. After post-hatch day 65, whether or not a juvenile male can memorize the song of a ‘tutor' depends on his experiences in the month prior. If he experienced a tutor, he can no longer learn, but if he has been isolated from hearing a tutor the learning period is extended. We aimed to identify how tutor experience alters the brain and controls the ability to learn. Epigenetic landscapes are modulated by experience and are able to regulate the transcription of sets of genes, thereby affecting cellular function. Thus, we hypothesized that tutor experiences determine the epigenetic landscape in the auditory forebrain, a region required for tutor song memorization. Using ChIPseq, RNAseq and molecular biology, we provide evidence that naturalistic experiences associated with the ability to learn can induce epigenetic changes, and propose transcriptional plasticity as a mediator of CP learning potential.
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Tutor experience during critical periods can trigger epigenetic changes that shape transcriptional plasticity in song learning.
“tutor experience during critical periods can trigger epigenetic changes that shape transcriptional plasticity in song learning”
From Listening forward: emerging roles of bioacoustics in ecology, evolution, and conservation (2026) · cites this paper as Kelly et al. 2018
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- Authors
- Kelly, T. K., Ahmadiantehrani, S., Blattler, A., & London, S. E.
- Affiliations
- Active Motif (United States) (US)
- University of Chicago (US)
- Corresponding author
- London, Sarah E.
- Venue
- Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences
- Publisher
- The Royal Society
- Published
- 2018-05-02
- Volume
- 285
- Issue
- 1878
- Pages
- 20180160
- ISSN
- 0080-4649 (ISSN-L)
- 0962-8452
- 1471-2954
- PMC
- PMC5966592
- OpenAlex
- W2803010152
- Cited by
- 30
- References
- 52
- Citations by year
- 2026: 2 · 2025: 3 · 2024: 2 · 2023: 2 · 2022: 1 · 2021: 5 · 2020: 6 · 2019: 9
- FWCI
- 4.42
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- green
- www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
- Locations
- Proceedings of the Royal Society B Biological Sciences (publishedVersion)
- Europe PMC (PubMed Central) (publishedVersion)
- PubMed Central (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Funders
- Whitehall Foundation (13-08-71)
- University of Chicago
- Topics
- Life Sciences › Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology › Developmental Biology › Animal Vocal Communication and Behavior
- Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Cognitive Neuroscience › Memory and Neural Mechanisms
- Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Developmental Neuroscience › Neurogenesis and neuroplasticity mechanisms
- Keywords
- critical period, epigenetic regulation, transcriptional plasticity, zebra finch, tutor song, auditory forebrain, learned behavior, song memorization
- MeSH terms
- Animals, Learning, Male, Music, Transcription, Genetic, Vocalization, Animal, Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental, Songbirds, Epigenesis, Genetic, Finches
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