The role of olfactory genes in the expression of rodent paternal care behavior

Rymer, Tasmin L. (2020) The role of olfactory genes in the expression of rodent paternal care behavior. Genes, 11 (3). 292.

[img]
Preview
PDF (Published Version) - Published Version
Available under License Creative Commons Attribution.

Download (663kB) | Preview
View at Publisher Website: https://doi.org/10.3390/genes11030292
 
6
785


Abstract

Olfaction is the dominant sensory modality in rodents, and is crucial for regulating social behaviors, including parental care. Paternal care is rare in rodents, but can have significant consequences for offspring fitness, suggesting a need to understand the factors that regulate its expression. Pup-related odor cues are critical for the onset and maintenance of paternal care. Here, I consider the role of olfaction in the expression of paternal care in rodents. The medial preoptic area shares neural projections with the olfactory and accessory olfactory bulbs, which are responsible for the interpretation of olfactory cues detected by the main olfactory and vomeronasal systems. The olfactory, trace amine, membrane-spanning 4-pass A, vomeronasal 1, vomeronasal 2 and formyl peptide receptors are all involved in olfactory detection. I highlight the roles that 10 olfactory genes play in the expression of direct paternal care behaviors, acknowledging that this list is not exhaustive. Many of these genes modulate parental aggression towards intruders, and facilitate the recognition and discrimination of pups in general. Much of our understanding comes from studies on non-naturally paternal laboratory rodents. Future studies should explore what role these genes play in the regulation and expression of paternal care in naturally biparental species.

Item ID: 66225
Item Type: Article (Research - C1)
ISSN: 2073-4425
Keywords: discrimination; main olfactory system; olfaction; paternal care; recognition; vomeronasal system
Copyright Information: © 2020 by the author. Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland. This article is an open accessarticle distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative Commons Attribution(CC BY) license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)
Date Deposited: 23 Feb 2021 00:29
FoR Codes: 31 BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES > 3109 Zoology > 310901 Animal behaviour @ 60%
31 BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES > 3105 Genetics > 310599 Genetics not elsewhere classified @ 20%
31 BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES > 3109 Zoology > 310914 Vertebrate biology @ 20%
SEO Codes: 28 EXPANDING KNOWLEDGE > 2801 Expanding knowledge > 280102 Expanding knowledge in the biological sciences @ 100%
Downloads: Total: 785
Last 12 Months: 88
More Statistics

Actions (Repository Staff Only)

Item Control Page Item Control Page