Title: | Integrated action of pheromone signals in promoting courtship behavior in male mice |
Author(s): | Haga-Yamanaka S; Ma L; He J; Qiu Q; Lavis LD; Looger LL; Yu CR; |
Address: | "Stowers Institute for Medical Research, Kansas City, United States. Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Janelia Farm Research Campus, Ashburn, United States. Stowers Institute for Medical Research, Kansas City, United States Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, University of Kansas Medical Center, Kansas City, United States cry@stowers.org" |
ISSN/ISBN: | 2050-084X (Electronic) 2050-084X (Linking) |
Abstract: | "The mammalian vomeronasal organ encodes pheromone information about gender, reproductive status, genetic background and individual differences. It remains unknown how pheromone information interacts to trigger innate behaviors. In this study, we identify vomeronasal receptors responsible for detecting female pheromones. A sub-group of V1re clade members recognizes gender-identifying cues in female urine. Multiple members of the V1rj clade are cognate receptors for urinary estrus signals, as well as for sulfated estrogen (SE) compounds. In both cases, the same cue activates multiple homologous receptors, suggesting redundancy in encoding female pheromone cues. Neither gender-specific cues nor SEs alone are sufficient to promote courtship behavior in male mice, whereas robust courtship behavior can be induced when the two cues are applied together. Thus, integrated action of different female cues is required in pheromone-triggered mating behavior. These results suggest a gating mechanism in the vomeronasal circuit in promoting specific innate behavior.DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.7554/eLife.03025.001" |
Keywords: | "Animals Courtship Estrogens/physiology/urine Estrus/physiology/urine Female Male Mice Mice, Inbred BALB C Mice, Inbred C57BL Mice, Transgenic Olfactory Receptor Neurons/physiology Phylogeny RNA, Messenger/genetics/metabolism Receptors, Pheromone/classific;" |
Notes: | "MedlineHaga-Yamanaka, Sachiko Ma, Limei He, Jie Qiu, Qiang Lavis, Luke D Looger, Loren L Yu, C Ron eng R01 DC008003/DC/NIDCD NIH HHS/ R01DC008003/DC/NIDCD NIH HHS/ Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't England 2014/07/31 Elife. 2014 Jul 29; 3:e03025. doi: 10.7554/eLife.03025" |