Structural and functional differences in isoforms of mouse major urinary proteins: a male-specific protein that preferentially binds a male pheromone

Armstrong, Stuart D.; Robertson, Duncan H. L.; Cheetham, Sarah A.; Hurst, Jane L.; Beynon, Robert J.

doi:10.1042/bj20050404

Cited by 109 publications

(122 citation statements)

References 32 publications

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“…It is a member of the major urinary protein family, MUP20 (MGI:3651981), which shows a strongly malebiased expression and a molecular weight of 18893Da. Being a lipocalin, darcin binds small lipophilic molecules, with high affinity for thiazoline (Armstrong et al, 2005) which, as discussed above, is a volatile compound also present in male (but not female) urine. Although some pheromonal activities have been proposed for thiazoline, including attraction (together with brevicomin, but not alone), oestrous synchronisation and puberty acceleration 1989;Novotny et al, 1999), its role in intersexual attraction must be negligible since recombinant darcin obtained in E. coli, free of ligands, is attractive when compared to buffer or to full female urine.…”

Section: Accepted Manuscriptmentioning

confidence: 95%

From sexual attraction to maternal aggression: When pheromones change their behavioural significance

Martín‐Sánchez

McLean

Beynon

et al. 2015

Hormones and Behavior

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From sexual attraction to maternal aggression: When pheromones change their behavioural significance, Hormones and Behavior (2014), doi: 10.1016/j.yhbeh.2014 This is a PDF file of an unedited manuscript that has been accepted for publication. As a service to our customers we are providing this early version of the manuscript. The manuscript will undergo copyediting, typesetting, and review of the resulting proof before it is published in its final form. Please note that during the production process errors may be discovered which could affect the content, and all legal disclaimers that apply to the journal pertain.A C C E P T E D M A N U S C R I P T ACCEPTED MANUSCRIPT A C C E P T E D M A N U S C R I P T ACCEPTED MANUSCRIPT2 AbstractThis paper reviews the role of chemosignals in the socio-sexual interactions of female mice, and reports two experiments testing the role of pup-derived chemosignals and the male sexual pheromone darcin in inducing and promoting maternal aggression. Female mice are attracted to urine-borne male pheromones. Volatile and non-volatile urine fractions have been proposed to contain olfactory and vomeronasal pheromones. In particular, the male-specific major urinary protein (MUP) MUP20, darcin, has been shown to be rewarding and attractive to females. Non-urinary male chemosignals, such as the lacrimal protein ESP1, promote lordosis in female mice, but its attractive properties are still to be tested. There is evidence indicating that ESP1 and MUPs are detected by vomeronasal type 2 receptors (V2R).When a female mouse becomes pregnant, she undergoes dramatic changes in her physiology and behaviour. She builds a nest for her pups and takes care of them. Dams also defend the nest against conspecific intruders, attacking especially gonadally intact males. Maternal behaviour is dependent on a functional olfactory system, thus suggesting a role of chemosignals in the development of maternal behaviour. Our first experiment demonstrates, however, that pup chemosignals are not sufficient to induce maternal aggression in virgin females. In addition, it is known that vomeronasal stimuli are needed for maternal aggression.Since MUPs (and other molecules) are able to promote intermale aggression, in our second experiment we test if the attractive MUP darcin also promotes attacks on castrated male intruders by lactating dams. Our findings demonstrate that the same chemosignal, darcin, promotes attraction or aggression according to female reproductive state.

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Section: Accepted Manuscriptmentioning

confidence: 95%

From sexual attraction to maternal aggression: When pheromones change their behavioural significance

Martín‐Sánchez

McLean

Beynon

et al. 2015

Hormones and Behavior

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“…In one prominent example, distinctive profiles of MUPs are expressed in different strains, as well as in different subspecies, of mice (Robertson et al 1996;Stopková et al 2007). An atypical MUP that preferentially binds to 2-sec-butyl-4,5-dihydrothiazole is male-specific (Armstrong et al 2005). Variation in MUPs is extensive in wild populations, where they are involved in individual recognition (Hurst et al 2001;Cheetham et al 2007), inbreeding avoidance (Sherborne et al 2007) and evaluation of genetic heterozygosity of potential mates (Thom et al 2008).…”

Section: Mhc Odourtypes and Complexity Of Individual Odour Signaturesmentioning

confidence: 99%

In search of the chemical basis for MHC odourtypes

et al. 2010

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Mice can discriminate between chemosignals of individuals based solely on genetic differences confined to the major histocompatibility complex (MHC). Two different sets of compounds have been suggested: volatile compounds and non-volatile peptides. Here, we focus on volatiles and review a number of publications that have identified MHC-regulated compounds in inbred laboratory mice. Surprisingly, there is little agreement among different studies as to the identity of these compounds. One recent approach to specifying MHC-regulated compounds is to study volatile urinary profiles in mouse strains with varying MHC types, genetic backgrounds and different diets. An unexpected finding from these studies is that the concentrations of numerous compounds are influenced by interactions among these variables. As a result, only a few compounds can be identified that are consistently regulated by MHC variation alone. Nevertheless, since trained animals are readily able to discriminate the MHC differences, it is apparent that chemical studies are somehow missing important information underlying mouse recognition of MHC odourtypes. To make progress in this area, we propose a focus on the search for behaviourally relevant odourants rather than a random search for volatiles that are regulated by MHC variation. Furthermore, there is a need to consider a 'combinatorial odour recognition' code whereby patterns of volatile metabolites (the basis for odours) specify MHC odourtypes.

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“…Methylation analysis revealed that the Major Urinary Protein 4 (MUP4) is one of the candidate imprinted-like genes induced in the vinclozolin generation males [17]. This MUP group of gene products binds and releases male-specific pheromones in rodents [5,19]. Finally, to rule out odor discrimination capacity as a potential explanation for their failure to show a preference in the mate preference test, we established that both males and females explored odors of the opposite sex much more than familiar (self) odors or novel odors of the same sex, and all animals explored novel odors of the same sex more than self odors.…”

Section: Transgenerational Epigenetic Imprint On the Nuclear Genome Amentioning

confidence: 99%

Epigenetics and its implications for behavioral neuroendocrinology

Crews

2008

Frontiers in Neuroendocrinology

146

115

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Individuals vary in their sociosexual behaviors and reactivity. How the organism interacts with the environment to produce this variation has been a focus in psychology since its inception as a scientific discipline. There is now no question that cumulative experiences throughout life history interact with genetic predispositions to shape the individual's behavior. Recent evidence suggests that events in past generations may also influence how an individual responds to events in their own life history. Epigenetics is the study of how the environment can affect the genome of the individual during its development as well as the development of its descendants, all without changing the DNA sequence. Several distinctions must be made if this research is to become a staple in behavioral neuroendocrinology. The first distinction concerns perspective, and the need to distinguish and appreciate, the differences between Molecular versus Molar epigenetics. Each has its own lineage of investigation, yet both appear to be unaware of one another. Second, it is important to distinguish the difference between Context-Dependent versus Germline-Dependent epigenetic modifications. In essence the difference is one of the mechanism of heritability or transmission within, as apposed to across, generations. This review illustrates these distinctions while describing several rodent models that have shown particular promise for unraveling the contribution of genetics and the environment on sociosexual behavior. The first focuses on genetically-modified mice and makes the point that the early litter environment alters subsequent brain activity and behavior. This work emphasizes the need to understand behavioral development when doing research with such animals. The second focuses on a new rat model in which the epigenome is permanently imprinted, an effect that crosses generations to impact the descendants without further exposure to the precipitating agent. This work raises the question of how events in generations past can have consequences at both the mechanistic, behavioral, and ultimately evolutionary levels.

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Structural and functional differences in isoforms of mouse major urinary proteins: a male-specific protein that preferentially binds a male pheromone

Cited by 109 publications

References 32 publications

From sexual attraction to maternal aggression: When pheromones change their behavioural significance

From sexual attraction to maternal aggression: When pheromones change their behavioural significance

In search of the chemical basis for MHC odourtypes

Epigenetics and its implications for behavioral neuroendocrinology

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