| Title: | A recombinant courtship pheromone affects sexual receptivity in a plethodontid salamander |
| Author(s): | Houck LD; Watts RA; Arnold SJ; Bowen KE; Kiemnec KM; Godwin HA; Feldhoff PW; Feldhoff RC; |
| Address: | "Department of Zoology, Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR 97331, USA. houckl@science.oregonstate.edu" |
| ISSN/ISBN: | 1464-3553 (Electronic) 0379-864X (Linking) |
| Abstract: | "Pheromones are important chemical signals for many vertebrates, particularly during reproductive interactions. In the terrestrial salamander Plethodon shermani, a male delivers proteinaceous pheromones to the female as part of their ritualistic courtship behavior. These pheromones increase the female's receptivity to mating, as shown by a reduction in courtship duration. One pheromone component in particular is plethodontid receptivity factor (PRF), a 22-kDa protein with multiple isoforms. This protein alone can act as a courtship pheromone that causes the female to be more receptive. We used a bacterial expression system to synthesize a single recombinant isoform of PRF. The recombinant protein was identical to the native PRF, based on mass spectrometry, circular dichroism spectra, and a behavioral bioassay that tested the effects of recombinant PRF (rPRF) on female receptivity (21% reduction in courtship duration). The rPRF appears to mimic the activity of a mixture of PRF isoforms, as well as a mixture of multiple different proteins that comprise the male courtship gland extract. Pheromones that are peptides have been characterized for some vertebrates; to date, however, rPRF is one of only 2 synthesized vertebrate proteins to retain full biological activity" |
| Keywords: | "Animals Female Male Recombinant Proteins/analysis/biosynthesis/chemistry Sex Attractants/analysis/chemistry/*physiology Sexual Behavior, Animal/*physiology Urodela/*physiology;" |
| Notes: | "MedlineHouck, Lynne D Watts, Richard A Arnold, Stevan J Bowen, Kathleen E Kiemnec, Karen M Godwin, Hilary A Feldhoff, Pamela W Feldhoff, Richard C eng Research Support, U.S. Gov't, Non-P.H.S. England 2008/06/07 Chem Senses. 2008 Sep; 33(7):623-31. doi: 10.1093/chemse/bjn027. Epub 2008 Jun 5" |
