Pleiotropic effects of a regulatory gene (Pgm-1-t) on the social behavior of juvenile rainbow trout (Salmo gairdneri)

Abstract

We compared the social behavior of juvenile rainbow trout with a regulatory allele, Pgm-1-t(b), to their full-sibs without this allele. Other studies have shown that this gene has many pleiotropic effects in the Arlee strain, the most obvious being an increase in developmental rate at about the time of hatching. The frequencies of two agonistic action patterns, charge and lateral display, and two nonagonistic measures, yawn and forage, were used to describe early social behavior. Pgm-1-t(b) was associated with significantly higher frequencies of charge and large size in fish from the Arlee strain. However, fish from the DeSmet strain with Pgm-1-t(b) were no more aggressive or longer than their full-sibs lacking this allele. Length was the primary determinant of dominance status in both strains, regardless of Pgm-1-t genotype. In both strains, there was no significant difference between genotypes in the frequency of lateral display and forage. Our results show that genetic differences at a single locus can have pleiotropic effects on behavior with potential adaptive significance.