Pheromonesand Animal Behavior

Leslie VosshallJune 2, 2008

http://njc.rockefeller.edu/VosshallBN08.php

http://njc.rockefeller.edu/VosshallBN08.php

June 9: Presentations (PDFs available June 5)

June 2: Lecture (PPT available online)

Jeff Liesch Andres Bendesky

$50

Tristram WyattPheromones

and Animal Behaviour

Suggested Reading

David Michael Stoddart The Scented Ape :

The Biology and Culture of Human Odour

$37

What do you look for in a perfect mate?1.2.3.4.5.6.7.8.9.10.

What do you look for in a perfect mate?

1. Same species2. Opposite sex3. Sexually mature4. Still fertile5. Good social standing6. Good genes7. Alive8. Not a sibling9. Not a parent10.Receptive11.Available

The Problem

Nocturnalmoths

Formula for the perfect social signal:

1. Cheap to transmit2. Cheap to receive3. Discreet4. Selective5. Effective in the dark/barriers6. Long-range7. Long-lasting8. 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 FitnessMate Choice/ Sexual Selection

Mate Selection to Avoid Incest/Genetic RelatednessSexual Maturation

Successful Fertilization (Aquatic Animals)Kin Recognition

Caste and Reproductive Status (Social Animals)Menstrual Synchrony

Maternal-Infant BondingInfant Suckling—Nipple Recognition

Dominance HierarchyAggression

Territory and Trail MarkingDeception (Plant->Animal)

Deception (Animal->Animal)Aggregation

Intruder Alarm

Semiochemicals: InfochemicalsPheromones

(Communcation within species) Both Sender + Receiver benefit

Allelochemicals: Between species

Kairomones: Receiver Benefits(Sender does not)

Synomones:Both Sender + Receiver Benefit

Allomones: Sender Benefits

(Receiver does not)

Primer Pheromones

Wyatt Book

Putative evolution of Pheromones

Wyatt Book

Pheromones – Odor Imprinting

Wyatt Book

Pheromones and behavior(phenomenology)

Silkmoth

Bombyxmori

Sex (Releaser) Pheromones

Mate Quality: Courtship Pheromones

hydroxydanaidal

monocrotalinepyrrolizidine

alkaloids

Wyatt Book

Marking Behavior-Mara rodent

Wyatt Book

Pheromones-Dominance Hierarchy

Dauer pheromones-C.elegans

High Density/Limiting Food

Alarm Pheromones

Marking Behavior-desert ant

Trail Marking-leaf cutter ant

Marking, Territorial Behavior-Badger

Wyatt Book

Mimicry: Pheromones Subverted for Deception

Australian orchid D. glyptodontraps male Z.Trilobatus wasps

Bolas spiders vs. moths

Mate Quality: MHC (mice)

Mate Quality: MHC (human)

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 thoseproduced by bacteria)

5. The peptide-microbe hypothesis(MHC alters odor by restricting peptides available

to commensal bacteria)

MHC Class I Peptides as Chemosensory Signals in the Vomeronasal Organ Trese Leinders-Zufall et al. Science 306:1033-1037, 2004

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)

Pheromone chemistry

Where do pheromones come from?

UrineSweatTearsOther glands…

James Auger MoMA

Pheromone-Producing Glands-Insects

Wyatt Book

Pheromone-Producing Glands-Mammals

Wyatt Book

Luo, Fee, and Katz,Science 299: 1196-1201, 2003

LuoKatzScience03.mov

E10E12Z14-16Al 11.3 E10E12E14-16Al 1.2 E10Z12-16Al 3.9 Z11-16Al 13.4 E11-16Al 6.8 Z9-16Al 0.8 16Al 15.7 Z11Z13-18Al 1.4 Z13-18Al 2.2 Z11-18Al 6.2 18Al 4.8

Manduca sexta female pheromone blend

Sex Pheromones

Wyatt Book

Mouse mammary pheromone(THE FIRST VERIFIED

MAMMALIAN PHEROMONE)Schaal et al., Nature 424, 68-72 ,

2003

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

Encoding social signals in the mouse main olfactory bulb

(CHEMICAL CUES CAN BEEXTREMELY POTENT)

Lin et al., Nature 434:470-477, 2005

Lin et al., Nature 434, 470 - 477, 2005

Identification of protein pheromones that promote

aggressive behaviour. Chamero et al., Nature 450:899-902, 2007

Chamero et al., Nature 450:899-902, 2007

Chamero et al., Nature 450:899-902, 2007

Chamero et al., Nature 450:899-902, 2007

Chamero et al., Nature 450:899-902, 2007

bombykol

bombykal

The first chemically isolated pheromone(from 70,000 female silk moths; Butenandt, 1952)

Jeong et al., Nature 433:541, 2005.

(- )-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)

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

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

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

The information from the V1Rs and V2Rs, which is processed separately in the AOB, converges in completely overlapping projections to the bed nucleus of the stria terminalis (BNST), bed nucleus of the

accessory olfactory tract (BAOT), medial amygdala (MeA) and the posteromedial cortical nucleus (PMCo) of the amygdala.

Olfaction vs.Pheromone Perception

(invertebrates)

MaleInsect

Antennae:Specialized toDetect FemalePheromones

In the fly brain, a few glomeruli in the antennal lobe are sexually dimorphic in size

Image taken from Kondoh et al. (2003)

Datta et al., Nature 452:473-477, 2008

Pheromone receptors

OdorantReceptors

(vertebrate)

PheromoneReceptors

(vertebrate)

V1R: expressed with Gαi and TRP2

V2R: expressed with Gαo and TRP2 (and MHC M10)

PheromoneReceptors

(invertebrate)

bombykol

bombykal

=come to me

=go away

Nakagawa et al., Science 2005

Nakagawa et al., Science 2005

Ha and Smith, Cell 133:761-763, 2008

??

??

Pheromone reception(humans)

Sequential Sensory Decisionsin 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 & McClintockNature 1998 392:177

”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 RealmPheromone for Men

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Active Ingredient: androstenone (pig pheromone)

”The 6 benefits of scientific matching

Chances are increased that you’ll love the natural body fragrance of your matches.

You have a greater chance of a more satisfying sex life.

Women tend to enjoy a higher rate of orgasms with their partners.

Women have a much lower chance of cheating in their exclusive relationships.

Couples tend to have higher rates of fertility.

All other things being equal, couples have a greater chance of having healthier children with more robust immune systems”

www.scientificmatch.com

Cheek swab and $1995

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/21134540/vp/23111666#23111666

Please contact me if you have any questionsabout my lecture.Leslie Vosshall leslie@mail.rockefeller.eduJune 2, 2008