Searching for Major Urinary Proteins (MUPs) as Chemosignals in Urine of Subterranean Rodents

Petra Hagemeyer; Sabine Begall; Katerina Janotova; Josephine Todrank; Giora Heth; Petr L. Jedelsky; Hynek Burda; Pavel Stopka

doi:10.1007/s10886-011-9971-y

Searching for Major Urinary Proteins (MUPs) as Chemosignals in Urine of Subterranean Rodents

Petra Hagemeyer, Sabine Begall, Katerina Janotova, Josephine Todrank, Giora Heth, Petr L. Jedelsky, Hynek Burda, Pavel Stopka

Department of Evolutionary and Environmental Biology

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

Abstract

Chemosensory information mediates behavior in many rodent genera. Major Urinary Proteins (MUPs) facilitate chemical communication in some species of mice. We sought to demonstrate the importance of MUPs in chemosignaling across a range of rodent genera that live in different habitats and social structures. We analyzed urine from three subterranean rodent genera from different continents, and with diverse social systems: eusocial Zambian mole-rats (Fukomys), solitary Israeli blind mole rats (Spalax), and social Chilean coruros (Spalacopus). 2D gel electrophoresis revealed low levels of protein, with sequences similar to aphrodisin, in Fukomys mole-rat urine, but no MUPs in urine of any of the studied species. Previous research demonstrated that subjects from the tested genera responded differentially to odors indicating transmission of individuality, family/colony or population, species, and reproductive state in secretions and excretions of conspecifics. This extends, to subterranean rodents, the evidence that rodent species can successfully transmit and receive chemosignals without the necessity of MUPs.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	687-694
Number of pages	8
Journal	Journal of Chemical Ecology
Volume	37
Issue number	7
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1007/s10886-011-9971-y
State	Published - Jul 2011

Bibliographical note

Funding Information:
Acknowledgements This study was partially funded by the ‘Lise-Meitner Habilitationsprogramm’ granted to SB. KJ and PJ acknowledge the financial support of the Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports (MSM0021620828 and GA AV c. IAA601110908), and PJ acknowledges a grant from the Ministry of Education MSM0021620858 (PJ). The first two authors (P.H., S.B.) participated equally in this study and are therefore co-first authors.

Keywords

Aphrodisin
Coruro
Fukomys
Lipocalin
Major urinary proteins
Mole-rat
Spalacopus
Spalax
Subterranean rodents

ASJC Scopus subject areas

Ecology, Evolution, Behavior and Systematics
Biochemistry

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10.1007/s10886-011-9971-y

Cite this

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title = "Searching for Major Urinary Proteins (MUPs) as Chemosignals in Urine of Subterranean Rodents",

abstract = "Chemosensory information mediates behavior in many rodent genera. Major Urinary Proteins (MUPs) facilitate chemical communication in some species of mice. We sought to demonstrate the importance of MUPs in chemosignaling across a range of rodent genera that live in different habitats and social structures. We analyzed urine from three subterranean rodent genera from different continents, and with diverse social systems: eusocial Zambian mole-rats (Fukomys), solitary Israeli blind mole rats (Spalax), and social Chilean coruros (Spalacopus). 2D gel electrophoresis revealed low levels of protein, with sequences similar to aphrodisin, in Fukomys mole-rat urine, but no MUPs in urine of any of the studied species. Previous research demonstrated that subjects from the tested genera responded differentially to odors indicating transmission of individuality, family/colony or population, species, and reproductive state in secretions and excretions of conspecifics. This extends, to subterranean rodents, the evidence that rodent species can successfully transmit and receive chemosignals without the necessity of MUPs.",

keywords = "Aphrodisin, Coruro, Fukomys, Lipocalin, Major urinary proteins, Mole-rat, Spalacopus, Spalax, Subterranean rodents",

author = "Petra Hagemeyer and Sabine Begall and Katerina Janotova and Josephine Todrank and Giora Heth and Jedelsky, {Petr L.} and Hynek Burda and Pavel Stopka",

note = "Funding Information: Acknowledgements This study was partially funded by the {\textquoteleft}Lise-Meitner Habilitationsprogramm{\textquoteright} granted to SB. KJ and PJ acknowledge the financial support of the Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports (MSM0021620828 and GA AV c. IAA601110908), and PJ acknowledges a grant from the Ministry of Education MSM0021620858 (PJ). The first two authors (P.H., S.B.) participated equally in this study and are therefore co-first authors.",

year = "2011",

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doi = "10.1007/s10886-011-9971-y",

language = "English",

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AU - Hagemeyer, Petra

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AU - Janotova, Katerina

AU - Todrank, Josephine

AU - Heth, Giora

AU - Jedelsky, Petr L.

AU - Burda, Hynek

AU - Stopka, Pavel

N1 - Funding Information: Acknowledgements This study was partially funded by the ‘Lise-Meitner Habilitationsprogramm’ granted to SB. KJ and PJ acknowledge the financial support of the Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports (MSM0021620828 and GA AV c. IAA601110908), and PJ acknowledges a grant from the Ministry of Education MSM0021620858 (PJ). The first two authors (P.H., S.B.) participated equally in this study and are therefore co-first authors.

PY - 2011/7

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N2 - Chemosensory information mediates behavior in many rodent genera. Major Urinary Proteins (MUPs) facilitate chemical communication in some species of mice. We sought to demonstrate the importance of MUPs in chemosignaling across a range of rodent genera that live in different habitats and social structures. We analyzed urine from three subterranean rodent genera from different continents, and with diverse social systems: eusocial Zambian mole-rats (Fukomys), solitary Israeli blind mole rats (Spalax), and social Chilean coruros (Spalacopus). 2D gel electrophoresis revealed low levels of protein, with sequences similar to aphrodisin, in Fukomys mole-rat urine, but no MUPs in urine of any of the studied species. Previous research demonstrated that subjects from the tested genera responded differentially to odors indicating transmission of individuality, family/colony or population, species, and reproductive state in secretions and excretions of conspecifics. This extends, to subterranean rodents, the evidence that rodent species can successfully transmit and receive chemosignals without the necessity of MUPs.

AB - Chemosensory information mediates behavior in many rodent genera. Major Urinary Proteins (MUPs) facilitate chemical communication in some species of mice. We sought to demonstrate the importance of MUPs in chemosignaling across a range of rodent genera that live in different habitats and social structures. We analyzed urine from three subterranean rodent genera from different continents, and with diverse social systems: eusocial Zambian mole-rats (Fukomys), solitary Israeli blind mole rats (Spalax), and social Chilean coruros (Spalacopus). 2D gel electrophoresis revealed low levels of protein, with sequences similar to aphrodisin, in Fukomys mole-rat urine, but no MUPs in urine of any of the studied species. Previous research demonstrated that subjects from the tested genera responded differentially to odors indicating transmission of individuality, family/colony or population, species, and reproductive state in secretions and excretions of conspecifics. This extends, to subterranean rodents, the evidence that rodent species can successfully transmit and receive chemosignals without the necessity of MUPs.

KW - Aphrodisin

KW - Coruro

KW - Fukomys

KW - Lipocalin

KW - Major urinary proteins

KW - Mole-rat

KW - Spalacopus

KW - Spalax

KW - Subterranean rodents

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JO - Journal of Chemical Ecology

JF - Journal of Chemical Ecology

IS - 7

ER -

Searching for Major Urinary Proteins (MUPs) as Chemosignals in Urine of Subterranean Rodents

Abstract

Bibliographical note

Keywords

ASJC Scopus subject areas

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