Collaborative Research: A functional complex of mating behavior traits features hypervariable protein pheromones.

动物的求偶行为通常包括通过一系列复杂的行为来获得潜在伴侣的注意：视觉提示、身体接触、发声或信息素。许多脊椎动物产生信息素，影响雄性和雌性的相互作用。在蝾螈的交配系统中，雄性信息素是在求偶期间释放的，此时雌性需要说服才能对雄性做出反应。我们的研究系统主要集中在陆生蝾螈身上，因为这些脊椎动物的交配系统在求爱过程中强烈地依赖于信息素的交流。我们从蝾螈的信息素交流中学到的东西将与包括人类在内的所有脊椎动物的化学交流有关。在过去的工作中，这个小组已经记录了雄性求偶信息素对雌性生殖行为的影响。这些信息素明显地增加了雌性对雄性的接受度。该研究小组还掌握了男性信息素的生化性质的基本信息：可以合成的非挥发性蛋白质。这项新研究解决了一个问题，即雄性的信息素混合物实际上是如何刺激雌性的，通过测量雌性的嗅觉反应、大脑活动和交配行为来测量信息素的效果。雌性对特定合成信息素混合物的反应将被记录下来。该小组预计(a)信息素蛋白质在组合使用时会产生更强的效果，(b)雌性对特定组合的偏好不同。我们提案的一个优势是，研究生和本科生将在至少三个不同的研究实验室接受跨学科培训，专注于提案的不同领域（生物化学，行为科学和神经组织学），以及收集和维护蝾螈的实地研究经验。该团队将继续与大学和当地高中的科学项目合作，以提高学生对科学研究的理解。

Courtship behavior in animals typically involves gaining the attention of a potential mate by using a complicated set of behaviors: visual cues, physical contact, vocalizations, or pheromones. Many vertebrates produce pheromones that affect male-female interactions. In the salamander mating system, male pheromones are delivered during courtship when a female requires persuasion to respond to the male. Our study system has focused on terrestrial salamanders because these vertebrate animals have a mating system that is strongly based on pheromone communication during courtship. What we can learn from pheromone communication in salamanders will relate to chemical communication across all vertebrates, including humans. In past work, this group has documented the effect of male courtship pheromones on female reproductive behavior. These pheromones clearly act to increase the female's receptivity to the male. This research team also has basic information about the biochemical nature of the male pheromones: non-volatile proteins that can be synthesized. This new research addresses questions on how a male's pheromone mixture actually functions to stimulate a female, with pheromone effects measured in terms of her olfactory response, brain activity, and mating behavior. Female responses to specific mixtures of synthesized pheromones will be recorded. This group expects that (a) pheromone proteins will elicit the stronger effects when used in combination, and (b) females vary in their preference for particular combinations. A strength of our proposal is that both graduate and undergraduate students will receive interdisciplinary training in at least three different research laboratories focusing on different areas of the proposal (biochemistry, behavioral science, and neurohistology), as well as field research experience collecting and maintaining salamanders. This team will continue their outreach efforts with university and local high school science programs to enhance students' understanding of scientific research.