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Convergent transcriptional specializations in the brains of humans and song-learning birds.

Publication ,  Journal Article
Pfenning, AR; Hara, E; Whitney, O; Rivas, MV; Wang, R; Roulhac, PL; Howard, JT; Wirthlin, M; Lovell, PV; Ganapathy, G; Mouncastle, J; Iriki, A ...
Published in: Science
December 12, 2014

Song-learning birds and humans share independently evolved similarities in brain pathways for vocal learning that are essential for song and speech and are not found in most other species. Comparisons of brain transcriptomes of song-learning birds and humans relative to vocal nonlearners identified convergent gene expression specializations in specific song and speech brain regions of avian vocal learners and humans. The strongest shared profiles relate bird motor and striatal song-learning nuclei, respectively, with human laryngeal motor cortex and parts of the striatum that control speech production and learning. Most of the associated genes function in motor control and brain connectivity. Thus, convergent behavior and neural connectivity for a complex trait are associated with convergent specialized expression of multiple genes.

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Published In

Science

DOI

EISSN

1095-9203

Publication Date

December 12, 2014

Volume

346

Issue

6215

Start / End Page

1256846

Location

United States

Related Subject Headings

  • Vocalization, Animal
  • Transcriptome
  • Transcription, Genetic
  • Speech
  • Species Specificity
  • Neural Pathways
  • Motor Cortex
  • Male
  • Learning
  • Humans
 

Citation

APA
Chicago
ICMJE
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Pfenning, A. R., Hara, E., Whitney, O., Rivas, M. V., Wang, R., Roulhac, P. L., … Jarvis, E. D. (2014). Convergent transcriptional specializations in the brains of humans and song-learning birds. Science, 346(6215), 1256846. https://doi.org/10.1126/science.1256846
Pfenning, Andreas R., Erina Hara, Osceola Whitney, Miriam V. Rivas, Rui Wang, Petra L. Roulhac, Jason T. Howard, et al. “Convergent transcriptional specializations in the brains of humans and song-learning birds.Science 346, no. 6215 (December 12, 2014): 1256846. https://doi.org/10.1126/science.1256846.
Pfenning AR, Hara E, Whitney O, Rivas MV, Wang R, Roulhac PL, et al. Convergent transcriptional specializations in the brains of humans and song-learning birds. Science. 2014 Dec 12;346(6215):1256846.
Pfenning, Andreas R., et al. “Convergent transcriptional specializations in the brains of humans and song-learning birds.Science, vol. 346, no. 6215, Dec. 2014, p. 1256846. Pubmed, doi:10.1126/science.1256846.
Pfenning AR, Hara E, Whitney O, Rivas MV, Wang R, Roulhac PL, Howard JT, Wirthlin M, Lovell PV, Ganapathy G, Mouncastle J, Moseley MA, Thompson JW, Soderblom EJ, Iriki A, Kato M, Gilbert MTP, Zhang G, Bakken T, Bongaarts A, Bernard A, Lein E, Mello CV, Hartemink AJ, Jarvis ED. Convergent transcriptional specializations in the brains of humans and song-learning birds. Science. 2014 Dec 12;346(6215):1256846.
Journal cover image

Published In

Science

DOI

EISSN

1095-9203

Publication Date

December 12, 2014

Volume

346

Issue

6215

Start / End Page

1256846

Location

United States

Related Subject Headings

  • Vocalization, Animal
  • Transcriptome
  • Transcription, Genetic
  • Speech
  • Species Specificity
  • Neural Pathways
  • Motor Cortex
  • Male
  • Learning
  • Humans