Circadian organization of Indian house crow (Corvus splendens): evidence from behavior and

whole blood gene expression studies.

Background of the work and objectives: Circadian rhythm persists in almost all organisms and is
controlled by an endogenous clock. However, circadian organization of Indian house crow is not known.
Time course study of activity and behavior is useful to evaluate the circadian rhythm. In this study we
report the circadian rhythms in different behaviors and clock genes expression in whole blood tissue of
Indian house crow.
Methods: Behavioral studies; birds (n=6) were housed individually in cages. Entrained in alternating
light and dark cycle 12 h of each (12L:12D) for two weeks and were exposed to constant dim light (LL dim).
General activity was recorded using infrared sensors and data collected were analyzed using The
Chronobiology kit software, Stanford, USA. Video were also recorded for each bird and were analyzed
using Noldus Observer XT software to study feeding behavior. Clock genes expression studies; blood
was collected in six time points equally spaced by 4 h in LD and LL dim. Whole blood mRNA was extracted
and relative mRNA expression of core clock genes (Clock, Bmal1, Per2 and Cry1) was studied by qPCR.
Results and conclusions: Activity and feeding behavior synchronized to 12L:12D, with a diurnal pattern.
In LLdim condition the activity behavior free ran with endogenous circadian period of 24.4 0.20 h, along
with the other behaviors. Clock genes expression showed significant daily variation in 12L:12D and LL dim
condition. These results are important for further investigating cognition and circadian clock system
linkage.
Keywords: circadian rhythm, blood clock genes, Indian house crow
Acknowledgement: Generous funding by DST-CSI, Department of Science, New Delhi.