February 25th & March 3rd: Lia and Eleanor

SNACKS & Who is Who: Michael

BEHAVIOR TOPIC # 3:

Behavior paper

Brenowitz EA, Margoliash D, Nordeen KS (1997) An Introduction to Birdsong and the Avian Song System . J Neurobiol. 33(5):495-500.

Genomics paper

Mori1 C, and Wada XK (2015) Audition-Independent Vocal Crystallization Associated with Intrinsic Developmental Gene Expression Dynamic. The Journal of Neuroscience, 35(3):878 – 889.

Questions for reading (students must turn in sets 4 throughout semester):

1. Make a list of terms that are new to you and do some research to understand them better.

2. What are immediate early genes and how/why are they used in this study?

3. What is radioisotopic in situ hybridization?

4. Pick a figure and briefly describe each section.

5. The Brenowitz paper tells us that "the song produced by a male bird is the only assay of what he has learned".    
        a. Do we think this is true?
        b. If it is, do you think this is a particularly limiting factor in studying bird song?

6. One main goal of this study was to investigate the interplay of auditory sensory experience and genetic expression in the development of song behavior. How do you interpret their results?

7. Do you find it surprising that audition is not necessary for vocal circuit maturation? Why or why not?

8. Pick one of the four Tinbergen questions, and briefly describe how this paper addresses it, OR how you wish it had addressed it.