In view of the above, covariation in behaviour and GCs and consistency in behavior are indicative of stress coping styles in zebrafish. Moreover, distinct behavioral patterns appear to be generally consistent across contexts and time and influenced by selective pressures in zebrafish 33, 34, 35. Several studies have demonstrated a strong covariation between behaviour and post-stress cortisol levels in zebrafish 22, 32. Considering the rapid development of behavioral screening 28, 29, 30 and molecular genetic tools 31 available for this species, zebrafish emerge as a promising model to reveal mechanisms underlying consistent phenotypic trait correlations. In particular, the zebrafish is becoming an increasingly popular laboratory animal model in neurobiological and behavioural studies 27. salmonids, zebrafish Danio rerio, medaka Oryzias latipes, goldfish Carassius auratus) are now rapidly complementing or replacing rodent models in scientific disciplines like neurobiology, toxicology and immunology. To understand these intricate mechanisms, we need novel model systems allowing the use of advanced molecular-genetic tools.Īmong the vertebrate lineage, teleost fish (e.g. Ultimate and proximate mechanisms underlying such consistent trait correlations are probably complex and remain largely unknown. Reactive individuals are characterized by having a high post-stress GC production whereas proactive individuals respond to stress with low GC production 22. Stress coping styles are thus defined as a set of behavioral and physiological responses to stress that are consistently employed by one individual across unrelated and temporally separated situations 25. GC responsiveness) of consistent behavioral patterns are concerned, animals are commonly classified as either “reactive” or “proactive” based on their distribution along a shy-bold continuum (for reviews, see 19, 24, 25, 26). Various terms are used to categorize individuals employing consistently different reaction norms in response to changes in the environment, but when physiological correlates (e.g. teleosts, rodents, birds and pigs), physiological and behavioral responses to stress are associated in such a manner that distinct stress coping styles along a reactive-proactive continuum can be identified 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24. Furthermore, in a range of animal species and taxa (e.g. In other words, individuals tend to respond to episodes of stress with the same magnitude of the GC response and this tendency is passed on to their offspring. Numerous studies in different animal models have revealed individual consistency and a degree of heritability of the magnitude of the GC response to stress (e.g. Traits under GC control include immune function, reproductive investment, reallocation of energy away from somatic growth towards stress coping, and various aspects of behaviour, neural plasticity and cognition 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13. Throughout the vertebrate lineage, glucocorticoid “stress hormones” (GCs, mainly cortisol and corticosterone) are central in shaping major aspects of individual phenotype. Moreover, water-borne GCs reflect individual variation in GC responsiveness with the strongest consistency seen in males. Our findings indicate consistency of the magnitude of post-stress GC production over several consecutive stress events in zebrafish. Here, we adopted a technique that allows for repeated, non-invasive sampling of individual zebrafish by quantifying GCs from holding water. Such a study has so far been hampered by the small-bodied nature and insufficient blood volume of this species to provide repeated measurements of circulating GCs. However, consistency in GC responsiveness of this popular animal model remains to be confirmed. consistent associations between physiological and behavioral traits. Zebrafish ( Danio rerio) emerge as a promising model to study such consistent trait correlations, including the development of individual stress coping styles, i.e. GC responsiveness) can predict major elements of life-history trajectory. For that reason, consistent aspects of an individual’s physiological stress response (i.e. Glucocorticoid (GC) stress hormones are well-known for their impact on phenotypic traits ranging from immune function to behaviour and cognition.
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