Question

Describe the risk of gene expression and gene regulation in song acquisition in zebra finches.

Answer 1

Songlearning in birds occurs during a critical phase, like adolescence and is controllwed by complexities of the neural system.

These song birds respond to auditory stimuli/songs via changes in their gene expression pattern. There is high expression of immediate early gene that codes for ZENK transcriptional factor in the forebrain region.The induction level is high in response to hearing a song from their own species versus a song from another species.

Also, when one song is played continuoudly, ZENK induction is highest during first few minutes, for example 15-20 minutes, and then falls down to basal levels. When a new song is played, ZENK idnuction swings back to full/higher levels.

This indicates, that there is intricate mechanism involving gene regulation and expression that controls song acquisition on zebra finches.