Scientists from the Leibniz Institute for Zoo and Wildlife Research (Leibniz-IZW) found that the social status of the hyena is reflected in the activity of its genes. The results of the research were published in the journal Communication Biology.
Biologists analyzed the DNA of the intestinal epithelium (from feces) of high-order and low-order female hyenas. They focused on DNA methyl marks that the body uses to reduce or increase gene activity depending on external factors (access to food, climate, physical activity, etc.).
It turns out that the social status of the hyena affects the activity of genes associated with the immune response, energy conversion and ion transport. Moreover, these features were also observed in their offspring.
Scientists suspect that the change in gene activity is related to the animal’s hunting type: Lower-ranking females are more likely to make long journeys for food than higher-ranking females. This requires more energy, and the activity of the genes changes in accordance with this need. High-ranking females have priority access to resources within the clan’s territory and do not need to hunt as frequently as lower-ranking females. Therefore, high-grade offspring receive more milk, grow faster, and have a better chance of surviving to adulthood and reproducing at an earlier age.
In spotted hyena clans, females and their cubs are socially dominant over all males, and the cubs inherit social status from their mothers. Like some primate species, young hyenas receive social support from their mothers. The authors of the study explained that in this way they learned that they could dominate all individuals who obeyed their mothers, but that they had to obey those whose mothers obeyed.
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