Chemical Ecology of Uropygial Gland Secretions

尾臀腺分泌物的化学生态学在鸟类的尾根部，有一个称为尾臀腺或羽腺的腺体。这个腺体产生油性分泌物。一天中，鸟类会多次用喙将这些分泌物散布在羽毛上。人们早就知道，这种行为对于保持羽毛处于良好状态至关重要，因为将这些分泌物涂抹在羽毛上可以使它们保持柔软和可塑性。以前的研究表明，虽然大多数鸟类产生分泌物，但不同鸟类的化学成分不同。分泌物组成也会随季节变化，并且男性和女性之间可能存在差异。在温暖的天气分泌物含有更多的化学成分比在凉爽的时期。在鸟类的羽毛中和羽毛上可以发现许多生物，包括细菌、真菌、螨、虱和其他节肢动物。这些生物中有许多对鸟类有害，可以假设，羽腺分泌物在保护鸟类免受它们的侵害方面起着重要作用。本建议的目的是描述非常复杂的化学组成的羽毛腺分泌物，以确定如何在时间和空间变化在一个单一的物种，并测试的影响，分泌物对寄生细菌，真菌和节肢动物。这项研究将导致发现和鉴定新的化合物，并确定其中哪些具有抗菌，抗真菌，抗虱子和杀螨作用。这些化学物质中的一些可能具有其他生物体无法产生的新结构。这些化合物在兽医科学（家禽）中可能具有很大的价值，甚至可能具有药用价值。

Chemical Ecology of Uropygial Gland Secretions At the base of their tail, birds possess a gland known as the uropygial or preen gland. This gland produces oily secretions. Multiple times a day birds use their beak to spread these secretions over their feathers. It has long be known that this behavior is essential for maintaining feathers in good condition because applying these secretions to feathers keeps them supple and malleable. Previous studies have shown that although most birds produce secretions, the chemical composition varies between bird species. Secretion composition also changes seasonally, and may differ between males and females. In warmer weather secretions contain a larger number of chemical components than during cooler periods. In and on bird feathers numerous organisms can be found. These include bacteria, fungi, mites, lice and other arthropods. Many of these organisms are harmful to the birds, and it can be hypothesized that preen-gland secretions would play an important role in protecting the bird against them. The objective of this proposal is to describe the very complex chemical composition of preen-gland secretions, to determine how these vary in time and space within a single species, and to test the effect the secretions have on parasitic bacteria, fungi and arthropods. The research will lead to the discovery and identification of new chemical compounds and determine which of these have anti-bacterial, anti-fungal, anti-lice and miticidal effects. Some of these chemicals may have novel structures that are not produced by other living organisms. Such compounds could be of great value in veterinary sciences (poultry), and could perhaps even have applications for medicinal use.