Olfactory Communication in Primates

嗅觉信号在哺乳动物中是普遍存在的，并用于向潜在的竞争对手或配偶宣传质量，繁殖状态和资源所有权。嗅觉是一个越来越受关注的领域，但它在灵长类动物（包括人类）中的作用仍然知之甚少。这个项目将研究两个关键物种的嗅觉交流，环尾狐猴和山海关，选择，因为他们特殊的形态和行为特征提供了一个理想的比较框架，研究嗅觉择偶机制：这两个物种都有气味腺，但显着不同的社会组织和性别二型性的程度。作为一种非传统的模型，山海关也承诺强调化学信号在旧世界灵长类动物中的重要性。该项目还将调查其他20个原猴纲物种的气味产生，选择它们是因为它们的气味腺和标记行为的多样性提供了一个同样宝贵的机会来检查信号内容的物种差异，目的是更好地了解系统发育模式。结合现场和实验室的方法将包括（1）化学分析，以破译信号的挥发性信息内容，（2）行为观察和生物测定，以评估接收器对气味信号的反应，（3）遗传分析，以表征杂合性，相关性和信号受体与其受体之间的免疫相容性的变化，以及（4）蛋白质组学分析以揭示气味线索的非挥发性贡献。这项综合研究将识别嗅觉线索的重要相关性，以阐明嗅觉通讯进化的生物学机制。虽然集中在灵长类动物，结果有望被广泛适用，提供更多的洞察嗅觉信号在哺乳动物的生殖广告，社会分层和配偶选择的作用，以及在个人，亲属和物种recognition.The更广泛的影响，这个项目将通过一个强有力的承诺，以实现教学和强调合作。该项目将（1）为培训未来的科学家提供机会;（2）鼓励代表性不足的群体从事科学事业;（3）通过新的研究项目促进部门间、大学间和国际伙伴关系，拓宽教师和学生的视野;（4）将项目产生的信息纳入课程开发;（5）向科学界传播信息;与针对大学、小学和公众的教育计划分享信息，从而加强教育，提高公众对濒危灵长类动物的认识，并帮助物种保护。

Olfactory signals are ubiquitous among mammals and serve to advertise quality, reproductive state, and resource ownership to potential competitors or mates. Olfaction is an area of growing interest, but its role in primates, including humans, remains poorly understood. This project will examine olfactory communication in two key species, the ringtailed lemur and mandrill, selected because their exceptional morphological and behavioral characteristics provide an ideal comparative framework for examining olfactory mechanisms of mate choice: Both species have scent glands, but differ dramatically in their social organization and degree of sexual dimorphism. As a nontraditional model, the mandrill also promises to underscore the importance of chemosignals in Old World primates. This project also will survey odorant production in 20 other prosimian species, selected because the diversity of their scent glands and marking behavior offers an equally invaluable opportunity to examine species differences in signal content, with the goal of better understanding phylogenetic patterns. Combined field and laboratory approaches will include (1) chemical analyses to decipher the volatile information content of signals, (2) behavioral observation and bioassays to evaluate the receiver's response to scent signals, (3) genetic analyses to characterize variation in heterozygosity, relatedness, and immunocompatibility between signal senders and their recipients, and (4) proteomic analyses to unravel the nonvolatile contribution to odor cues. This integrative study will identify important correlates of olfactory cues to elucidate the biological mechanisms underlying the evolution of olfactory communication. While focused on primates, the results promise to be broadly applicable, providing additional insight into the role of olfactory signals in mammalian reproductive advertisement, social stratification, and mate choice, as well as in individual, kin, and species recognition.The broader impact of this project will be attained through a strong commitment to teaching and an emphasis on collaboration. This project will (1) provide opportunities for training future scientists; (2) encourage under-represented groups to pursue science careers; (3) foster interdepartmental, inter-university, and international partnerships through new research ventures that broaden the perspectives of faculty and students alike; (4) integrate project-derived information into course development; (5) disseminate information to the scientific community; and (6) share information with educational programs that target universities, primary schools, and the general public, thereby enhancing education, raising public awareness about endangered primates, and aiding in species preservation.