Single-cell transcriptomic landscape reveals a cell atlas of chicken amygdala and key genes in response to social hierarchy

Abstract Dominance hierarchy, is described as the priority to feed, resting and territory in term of aggressive interactions. Increased studies have revealed the underpinned mechanism mediating social hierarchy in mammal, vertebrate and fishes, however, there is rare studies conducting on how brain amydala on social hierarchy in poultry. We performed cross-species analysis with mammalian amygdala, and find that cell types of human and rhesus monkeys were more closely related and that of chickens were more distant. We identified 26 clusters and divided it into 10 main clusters. Of which, GABAnic and glutamatergic neurons are associated with social behaviors, and their sub-neurons GABA_LEG and Glu3, and hub genes RHOB and CDK14 , are considered mediating the social hierarchy of chickens. Additionally, high-rank chickens may have better immune functions and stress tolerance than low-rank chickens. Our results provide to serve the developmental studies of amygdala neuron system, and new insights into the underpinned mechanism of social hierarchy in poultry.