Mice Respond Differently to Urine and Its Major Volatile Constituents from Male and Female Ferrets

Overview

Journal J Chem Ecol

Publisher Springer

Specialties Chemistry
Environmental Health

Date 2007 Feb 1

PMID 17265178

Citations 5

Authors

Jian-Xu Zhang

Lixing Sun

Milos Novotny

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

Our previous chemical investigation showed that the concentrations of urinary volatiles from males were much higher than those from females in the ferret (Mustela furo). The current study was designed to examine the behavioral significance and ecological relevance of this difference for one of the main prey of the ferret, the house mouse (Mus musculus). Our data showed that male mice displayed no difference in their response to raw male and female ferret urine. However, they showed significantly less response to female mouse urine mixed with ferret urine than to pure female mouse urine, and to female mouse urine mixed with male ferret urine than to female mouse urine mixed with female ferret urine. Furthermore, high levels of the three major volatiles (quinoline, 2,5-dimethylpyrazine, and 4-hepatanone) in male ferret urine were as effective as raw male ferret urine was in inhibiting the response of male mice. We discuss the ecological and behavioral significance of these findings in terms of chemical mimicry and cognitive feature extraction of predator odors in mice.

Citing Articles

Infection of Affects the Reproductive Capacity of ICR/CD-1 Male Mice by Reducing the Urine Pheromone Contents and Sperm Quality.

Li G, Zhang T, Hu B, Han S, Xiang C, Yuan G Int J Mol Sci. 2023; 24(6).

PMID: 36982803 PMC: 10058773. DOI: 10.3390/ijms24065731.

Infection with Affects Secondary Sexual Characteristics of Male Mice by Altering the Pheromone Content in Preputial Gland.

Li G, Zhang T, Hu B, Han S, Xiang C, Yuan G Animals (Basel). 2023; 13(4).

PMID: 36830543 PMC: 9952591. DOI: 10.3390/ani13040756.

Chronic exposure to a predator or its scent does not inhibit male-male competition in male mice lacking brain serotonin.

Huo Y, Fang Q, Shi Y, Zhang Y, Zhang J Front Behav Neurosci. 2014; 8:116.

PMID: 24782727 PMC: 3986541. DOI: 10.3389/fnbeh.2014.00116.

Sleeping birds do not respond to predator odour.

Amo L, Caro S, Visser M PLoS One. 2011; 6(11):e27576.

PMID: 22110676 PMC: 3217974. DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0027576.

Sex- and gonad-affecting scent compounds and 3 male pheromones in the rat.

Zhang J, Sun L, Zhang J, Feng Z Chem Senses. 2008; 33(7):611-21.

PMID: 18515819 PMC: 2533420. DOI: 10.1093/chemse/bjn028.

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