Please contact me if you have any questions about my lecture. Leslie Vosshall April 3, 2006

Leslie B. Vosshall Pheromones & Animal Behavior

Adria Le BoeufJoanna Spencer April 10: Presentations (PDFs available April 4) April 3: Lecture (PPT available this afternoon)

$50 Tristram Wyatt Pheromones and Animal Behaviour Suggested Reading David Michael Stoddart The Scented Ape : The Biology and Culture of Human Odour $37

Social Cues

Formula for the perfect social signal: 1.Cheap to transmit 2.Cheap to receive 3.Discreet 4.Selective 5.Effective in the dark/barriers 6.Long-range 7.Long-lasting 8.Easy homing/identification

VISUAL

AUDIO

CHEMICAL cockroach sex pheromone Brennan & Keverne, Curr. Biol. 14:R81–R89 (2004)

What is a Pheromone? ”defined chemical signal between members of the same species, eliciting a particular behavior or physiological change...”

Broader Definition: Pheromones ”any chemical signal conveying information between members of the same species” Recognition of Individuals or Kin: Differences between signals essential

Pheromones Health and Fitness Mate Choice/ Sexual Selection Mate Selection to Avoid Incest/Genetic Relatedness Sexual Maturation Successful Fertilization (Aquatic Animals) Kin Recognition Caste and Reproductive Status (Social Animals) Menstrual Synchrony Maternal-Infant Bonding Infant Suckling—Nipple Recognition Dominance Hierarchy Aggression Territory and Trail Marking Deception (Plant->Animal) Deception (Animal->Animal) Aggregation Intruder Alarm

Semiochemicals: Infochemicals Pheromones: Within species Allelochemicals: Between species Sender + Receiver + Kairomones: Sender - Receiver + Synomones: Sender + Receiver + Allomones: Sender + Receiver -

Primer Pheromones Wyatt Book

Evolution of Pheromones Wyatt Book

Pheromones – Odor Imprinting Wyatt Book

Pheromones and behavior (phenomenology)

Silkmoth Bombyx mori

Sex (Releaser) Pheromones

Mate Quality: Courtship Pheromones hydroxydanaidal monocrotaline pyrrolizidine alkaloids Wyatt Book

Pheromones-Dominance Hierarchy

Aggregation pheromone — Desert Locust

Aggregation Pheromones: Barnacles Wyatt Book

Ant caste determination

Primer pheromones-Termites Wyatt Book

Dauer pheromones-C.elegans High Density/Limiting Food

Alarm Pheromones

Marking Behavior-Mara rodent Wyatt Book

Marking Behavior-desert ant

Trail Marking-leaf cutter ant

Marking, Territorial Behavior- Badger Wyatt Book

Mimicry: Pheromones Subverted for Deception Australian orchid D. glyptodon traps male Z.Trilobatus wasps Bolas spiders vs. moths

Mate Quality: MHC

Models for the MHC Effect 1. The MHC molecule hypothesis (MHC fragments in urine and sweat) 2. The peptide hypothesis (MHC peptide metabolites in urine) 3. The microflora hypothesis (MHC shapes allele-specific populations of commensal microbes) 4. The carrier hypothesis (MHC carries volatile aromatics, including those produced by bacteria) 5. The peptide-microbe hypothesis (MHC alters odor by restricting peptides available to commensal bacteria)

Coolidge Effect (Remating with arrival of new potential mate) Bruce Effect (Pregnancy block when exposed to foreign male) Vandenbergh Effect (Males accelerate puberty in young females) Whitten Effect (Males induce oestrus in adult females) Lee-Boot Effect (Group-housed females show suppressed oestrus; oestrus synchronized by contact with males)

One day President and Mrs. Coolidge were visiting a government farm. Soon after their arrival they were taken off on separate tours. When Mrs. Coolidge passed the chicken pens she paused to ask the man in charge if the rooster copulates more than once each day. "Dozens of times" was the reply. "Please tell that to the President," Mrs. Coolidge requested. When the President passed the pens and was told about the rooster, he asked "Same hen everytime?" "Oh no, Mr. President, a different one each time." The President nodded slowly, then said "Tell that to Mrs. Coolidge." The Coolidge Effect

Vandenbergh Effect (Males accelerate puberty in young females) Whitten Effect (Males induce oestrus in adult females) Lee-Boot Effect (Group-housed females show suppressed oestrus; oestrus synchronized by contact with males)

Pheromone chemistry

Where do pheromones come from? Urine Sweat Tears Other glands…

Pheromone-Producing Glands-Insects Wyatt Book

Pheromone-Producing Glands-Mammals Wyatt Book

Manduca sexta female pheromone blend

Sex Pheromones Wyatt Book

Schaal et al., Nature 424, 68-72, 2003

Lin et al., Nature 434, , 2005

bombykol bombykal

Jeong et al., Nature 433:541, (- )-6R-(3'R, 5'R-dihydroxy-6'S-methyltetrahydro-pyran-2'R-yloxy) heptanoic acid C. elegans dauer pheromone

Pheromone reception (neural circuitry)

Olfaction vs. Pheromone Perception (vertebrates)

Vomeronasal or Jacobson’s Organ (VNO)

VNO Pathways

Brennan & Keverne, Curr. Biol. 14:R81–R89 (2004)

Olfaction vs. Pheromone Perception (invertebrates)

Male Insect Antennae: Specialized to Detect Female Pheromones

Pheromone receptors

Odorant Receptors (vertebrate)

Pheromone Receptors (vertebrate)

V1R: expressed with G α i and TRP2

V2R: expressed with G α o and TRP2 (and MHC M10)

Pheromone Receptors (invertebrate)

bombykol bombykal =come to me =go away

Nakagawa et al., Science 2005

Pheromone reception (humans)

Sequential Sensory Decisions in Sexual Courtship: Correct Species? Correct Gender? Sexually Receptive? Other Quality Control Criteria (usually monitored by Females) Size? Strength? Other indicators of good “gene pool”?

PHEROMONES IN HUMANS? Kin recognition-family member vs. partner

PHEROMONES IN HUMANS? Kin recognition-partner vs. stranger

PHEROMONES IN HUMANS? Kin recognition-mother/child

PHEROMONES IN HUMANS? Menstrual synchrony

Stern & McClintock Nature :177

”Realm, the fragrances with human pheromones. Only Realm adds this extra dimension of human Pleasure. Awaken your sixth sense. Experience REALM. Contains human pheromones.” Realm Men by Realm Pheromone for Men Realm Pheromones Women by Realm Pheromone for Women Active Ingredient: androstenone (pig pheromone)