Urinary protein analysis in mice lacking major urinary proteins

Abstract The major urinary proteins (MUPs) of house mice (Mus musculus) bind and stabilize the release of pheromones and other volatile organic compounds (VOCs) from urinary scent marks, which mediate chemical communication. Social status influences MUP and VOC excretion, and the urinary scent of dominant males is attractive to females. Urinary pheromones influence the sexual behavior and physiology of conspecifics, and yet it is not known whether they also affect reproductive success. We monitored the excretion of urinary protein and VOCs of wild-derived house mice living in large seminatural enclosures to compare the sexes and to test how these compounds correlate with reproductive success. Among males, urinary protein concentration and VOC expression correlated with reproductive success and social status. Territorial dominance also correlated with reproductive success in both sexes; but among females, no urinary compounds were found to correlate with social status or reproductive success. Notably, the large sex differences in chemosensory compounds found in laboratory studies were significantly lower when the mice lived in seminatural conditions. These findings provide novel evidence for chemical signals that correlate with male reproductive success of house mice living in competitive conditions.

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The major urinary protein system in the rat

Biochemical Society Transactions ◽

10.1042/bst20140083 ◽

2014 ◽

Vol 42 (4) ◽

pp. 886-892 ◽

Cited By ~ 18

Author(s):

Guadalupe Gómez-Baena ◽

Stuart D. Armstrong ◽

Marie M. Phelan ◽

Jane L. Hurst ◽

Robert J. Beynon

Keyword(s):

Chemical Communication ◽

Rattus Norvegicus ◽

Current Knowledge ◽

Urinary Protein ◽

Present Review ◽

Urinary Proteins ◽

Major Urinary Protein ◽

Major Urinary Proteins ◽

Brown Rat ◽

Rats And Mice

The genomes of rats and mice both contain a cluster of multiple genes that encode small (18–20 kDa) eight-stranded β-barrel lipocalins that are expressed in multiple secretory tissues, some of which enter urine via hepatic biosynthesis. These proteins have been given different names, but are mostly generically referred to as MUPs (major urinary proteins). The mouse MUP cluster is increasingly well understood, and, in particular, a number of roles for MUPs in chemical communication between conspecifics have been established. By contrast, the literature on the rat orthologues is much less well developed and is fragmented. In the present review, we summarize current knowledge on the MUPs from the Norway (or brown) rat, Rattus norvegicus.

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Pheromones that correlate with reproductive success in competitive conditions

Scientific Reports ◽

10.1038/s41598-021-01507-9 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 11 (1) ◽

Author(s):

Kenneth C. Luzynski ◽

Doris Nicolakis ◽

Maria Adelaide Marconi ◽

Sarah M. Zala ◽

Jae Kwak ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Reproductive Success ◽

Social Status ◽

Protein Concentration ◽

Urinary Protein ◽

House Mice ◽

Male Reproductive Success ◽

Urinary Proteins ◽

Major Urinary Proteins ◽

Volatile Pheromones ◽

Volatile Organic

AbstractThe major urinary proteins (MUPs) of house mice (Mus musculus) bind and stabilize the release of pheromones and other volatile organic compounds (VOCs) from urinary scent marks, which mediate chemical communication. Social status influences MUP and VOC excretion, and the urinary scent of dominant males is attractive to females. Urinary pheromones influence the sexual behavior and physiology of conspecifics, and yet it is not known whether they also affect reproductive success. We monitored the excretion of urinary protein and VOCs of wild-derived house mice living in large seminatural enclosures to compare the sexes and to test how these compounds correlate with reproductive success. Among males, urinary protein concentration and VOC expression correlated with reproductive success and social status. Territorial dominance also correlated with reproductive success in both sexes; but among females, no urinary compounds were found to correlate with social status or reproductive success. We found several differences in the urinary protein and volatile pheromones of mice in standard cages versus seminatural enclosures, which raises caveats for conventional laboratory studies. These findings provide novel evidence for chemical signals that correlate with male reproductive success of house mice living in competitive conditions.

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