Tang W, Davidson JD, Zhang G, Conen KE, Fang J, Serluca F, Li J, Xiong X, Coble M, Tsai T, Molind G, Fawcett CH, Sanchez E, Zhu P, Couzin ID, Fishman MC. Genetic Control of Collective Behavior in Zebrafish. iScience. 2020 Feb 27; 23(3):100942.

Citation

Tang W, Davidson JD, Zhang G, Conen KE, Fang J, Serluca F, Li J, Xiong X, Coble M, Tsai T, Molind G, Fawcett CH, Sanchez E, Zhu P, Couzin ID, Fishman MC. 2020. Genetic Control of Collective Behavior in Zebrafish. iScience. 23(3):100942. Pubmed: 32179471 DOI:10.1016/j.isci.2020.100942

Abstract

Many animals, including humans, have evolved to live and move in groups. In humans, disrupted social interactions are a fundamental feature of many psychiatric disorders. However, we know little about how genes regulate social behavior. Zebrafish may serve as a powerful model to explore this question. By comparing the behavior of wild-type fish with 90 mutant lines, we show that mutations of genes associated with human psychiatric disorders can alter the collective behavior of adult zebrafish. We identify three categories of behavioral variation across mutants: "scattered," in which fish show reduced cohesion; "coordinated," in which fish swim more in aligned schools; and "huddled," in which fish form dense but disordered groups. Changes in individual interaction rules can explain these differences. This work demonstrates how emergent patterns in animal groups can be altered by genetic changes in individuals and establishes a framework for understanding the fundamentals of social information processing.

Related Faculty

Mark C. Fishman, M.D.

Fishman Lab

Mark C. Fishman’s group studies the heart-brain connection. They employ a range of genetic, developmental, and neurobiological tools in zebrafish to understand what the heart tells the brain, and how critical internal sensory systems adjust homeostatic and somatic behaviors, including social interactions.