Sexual Attractiveness in Male Rats Is Associated with Greater Concentration of Major Urinary Proteins1

Kumar, V.; Vasudevan, Anand; Soh, Linda Jing Ting; Min, Choo Le; Vyas, Ajai; Zewail-Foote, Maha; Guarraci, Fay A.

doi:10.1095/biolreprod.114.117903

Cited by 32 publications

(34 citation statements)

References 39 publications

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“…These urinary proteins are well‐known transporters of odorant molecules including pheromones . Therefore, MUPs play a major role in female attraction and reproduction, as their expression levels correlate with male sexual attractiveness . In mammals, microbiota have been associated with kin recognition and the capacity to attract females through modification of recognition cues like odors generated by microbiota‐derived metabolites.…”

Section: Microbiota and Sexual Behaviormentioning

confidence: 99%

At the Intersection of Microbiota and Circadian Clock: Are Sexual Dimorphism and Growth Hormones the Missing Link to Pathology?

2019

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Reciprocal interactions between the host circadian clock and the microbiota are evidenced by recent literature. Interestingly, dysregulation of either the circadian clock or microbiota is associated with common human pathologies such as obesity, type 2 diabetes, or neurological disorders. However, it is unclear to what extent a perturbation of pathways regulated by both the circadian clock and microbiota is involved in the development of these disorders. It is speculated that these perturbations are associated with impaired growth hormone (GH) secretion and sexual development. The GH axis is a broadly neglected pathway and could be the main converging point for the interaction of both circadian clock and microbiota. Here, the links between the circadian clock and microbiota are reviewed. Finally, the effects of chronodisruption and dysbiosis on physiology and pathology are discussed and it is speculated whether a common deregulation of the GH pathway could mediates those effects.

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Section: Microbiota and Sexual Behaviormentioning

confidence: 99%

At the Intersection of Microbiota and Circadian Clock: Are Sexual Dimorphism and Growth Hormones the Missing Link to Pathology?

2019

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“…Evidence is emerging that rat MUPs are likely to be important in male sexual and/or competitive communication, with urinary MUP output appearing around male puberty and increasing with a surge in testosterone levels [21,22]. Male rats that are preferred by females express a greater amount of urinary MUP, and female rats are attracted to spend time near the high molecular weight fraction of male urine that contains rat MUPs and other urinary proteins [23]. Females also spend longer sniffing glass rods painted with castrated male urine if recombinant MUPs are added to the urine at normal physiological concentration [22].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Molecular complexity of the major urinary protein system of the Norway rat,Rattus norvegicus

Gómez‐Baena

Armstrong

Halstead

et al. 2018

Preprint

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26Major urinary proteins (MUP) are the major component of the urinary protein fraction in house mice (Mus 27 spp.) and rats (Rattus spp.). The structure, polymorphism and functions of these lipocalins have been well 28 described in the western European house mouse (Mus musculus domesticus), clarifying their role in 29 semiochemical communication. The complexity of these roles in the mouse raises the question of similar 30 functions in other rodents, including the Norway rat, Rattus norvegicus. Norway rats express MUPs in urine 31 but information about specific MUP isoform sequences and functions is limited. In this study, we present a 32 detailed molecular characterization of the MUP proteoforms expressed in the urine of two laboratory 33 strains, Wistar Han and Brown Norway, and wild caught animals, using a combination of manual gene 34 annotation, intact protein mass spectrometry and bottom-up mass spectrometry-based proteomic 35 approaches. Detailed sequencing of the proteins reveals a less complex pattern of primary sequence 36 polymorphism than the mouse. However, unlike the mouse, rat MUPs exhibit added complexity in the form 37 of post-translational modifications including phosphorylation and exoproteolytic trimming of specific 38 isoforms. The possibility that urinary MUPs may have different roles in rat chemical communication than 39 those they play in the house mouse is also discussed. 40 41 42Physiological production of substantial protein in the urine is well known in both rats and house mice [1, 2]. 43 The protein fraction is dominated by 18-19 kDa, eight stranded beta-barrel lipocalins known as major 44 urinary proteins (MUPs, also named as α2u-globulins when first identified in rats [2, 3]). Urinary MUPs are a 45 heterogeneous mixture of multiple isoforms that are very similar in mass and isoelectric point [4][5][6]. The 46 functions of MUPs have largely been studied in the western European house mouse (Mus musculus 47 domesticus) where they play critical roles in olfactory communication. First, they act as carriers for low 48 molecular weight pheromones and other constituents, delaying their release from urinary scent marks [7][8][9]. 49 MUP polymorphism also provides an identity signal for individual and kin recognition [10][11][12][13][14] and may play a 50 role in species recognition [6]. Finally, MUPs act as pheromones in their own right [14][15][16][17]. In particular, 51 darcin (MUP20, MGI nomenclature; http://www.informatics.jax.org/) has a number of unique properties, 52 including a highly specialized role as a male sex pheromone that also induces competition between males. 53 This protein binds most strongly the abundant volatile male pheromone (S)-2-(sec-butyl)-4,5-54 dihydrothiazole in mouse urine [16][17][18][19]. The pheromonal properties of darcin are retained in the 55 recombinant protein showing that it acts as a pheromone in the absence of bound ligands [16, 17]. 56 57The structure and functions of MUPs in the house mouse are well established and serve to emphasi...

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“…Urinary olfactory cues are a major means of communication in rodents (132,133). Rat urine contain a range of volatiles bound to Major Urinary Proteins (MUPs) that are known to be chemical attractants to females (134,135). We initially tested with this complete urine signal.…”

Section: Mate Choice Manipulationmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…For this, I received urine samples of 11 dyads/pairs of males (Long-Evans) from our collaborators who were repeatedly tested for female preference (methods can be seen in (134,150,151)). Based on the multiple trials, an attractiveness ratio was assigned for each male.…”

Section: Correlation Of Female Preference and Mups Levelsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Parasitic manipulation of male sexual advertisement in Toxoplasma gondii- Rattus norvegicus association

Vasudevan¹

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Sexual Attractiveness in Male Rats Is Associated with Greater Concentration of Major Urinary Proteins1

Cited by 32 publications

References 39 publications

At the Intersection of Microbiota and Circadian Clock: Are Sexual Dimorphism and Growth Hormones the Missing Link to Pathology?

At the Intersection of Microbiota and Circadian Clock: Are Sexual Dimorphism and Growth Hormones the Missing Link to Pathology?

Molecular complexity of the major urinary protein system of the Norway rat,Rattus norvegicus

Parasitic manipulation of male sexual advertisement in Toxoplasma gondii- Rattus norvegicus association

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