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Poirier AC, Melin AD. Smell throughout the life course. Evol Anthropol 2024; 33:e22030. [PMID: 38704704 DOI: 10.1002/evan.22030] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/18/2023] [Revised: 04/12/2024] [Accepted: 04/18/2024] [Indexed: 05/07/2024]
Abstract
The sense of smell is an important mediator of health and sociality at all stages of life, yet it has received limited attention in our lineage. Olfaction starts in utero and participates in the establishment of social bonds in children, and of romantic and sexual relationships after puberty. Smell further plays a key role in food assessment and danger avoidance; in modern societies, it also guides our consumer behavior. Sensory abilities typically decrease with age and can be impacted by diseases, with repercussions on health and well-being. Here, we critically review our current understanding of human olfactory communication to refute outdated notions that our sense of smell is of low importance. We provide a summary of the biology of olfaction, give a prospective overview of the importance of the sense of smell throughout the life course, and conclude with an outline of the limitations and future directions in this field.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alice C Poirier
- Department of Anthropology and Archaeology, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada
| | - Amanda D Melin
- Department of Anthropology and Archaeology, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada
- Department of Medical Genetics, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada
- Alberta Children's Hospital Research Institute, Calgary, Alberta, Canada
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2
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Loeffler-Wirth H, Lehmann C, Lachmann N, Doxiadis I. Homozygosity in any HLA locus is a risk factor for specific antibody production: the taboo concept 2.0. Front Immunol 2024; 15:1384823. [PMID: 38840925 PMCID: PMC11150536 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2024.1384823] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/10/2024] [Accepted: 05/03/2024] [Indexed: 06/07/2024] Open
Abstract
Objective In a cooperative study of the University Hospital Leipzig, University of Leipzig, and the Charité Berlin on kidney transplant patients, we analysed the occurrence of HLA-specific antibodies with respect to the HLA setup of the patients. We aimed at the definition of specific HLA antigens towards which the patients produced these antibodies. Methods Patients were typed for the relevant HLA determinants using mainly the next-generation technology. Antibody screening was performed by the state-of-the-art multiplex-based technology using microspheres coupled with the respective HLA alleles of HLA class I and II determinants. Results Patients homozygous for HLA-A*02, HLA-A*03, HLA-A*24, HLA-B*07, HLA-B*18, HLA-B*35, HLA-B*44, HLA-C*03, HLA-C*04, and HLA-C*07 in the class I group and HLA-DRB1*01, HLA-DRB1*03, HLA-DRB1*07, HLA-DRB1*15, HLA-DQA1*01, HLA-DQA1*05, HLA-DQB1*02, HLA-DQB1*03(7), HLA-DQB1*06, HLA-DPA1*01, and HLA-DPB1*04 in the class II group were found to have a significant higher antibody production compared to the heterozygous ones. In general, all HLA determinants are affected. Remarkably, HLA-A*24 homozygous patients can produce antibodies towards all HLA-A determinants, while HLA-B*18 homozygous ones make antibodies towards all HLA-B and selected HLA-A and C antigens, and are associated with an elevation of HLA-DRB1, parts of DQB1 and DPB1 alleles. Homozygosity for the HLA class II HLA-DRB1*01, and HLA-DRB1*15 seems to increase the risk for antibody responses against most of the HLA class I antigens (HLA-A, HLA-B, and HLA-C) in contrast to HLA-DQB1*03(7) where a lower risk towards few HLA-A and HLA-B alleles is found. The widely observed differential antibody response is therefore to be accounted to the patient's HLA type. Conclusion Homozygous patients are at risk of producing HLA-specific antibodies hampering the outcome of transplantation. Including this information on the allocation procedure might reduce antibody-mediated immune reactivity and prevent graft loss in a patient at risk, increasing the life span of the transplanted organ.
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Affiliation(s)
- Henry Loeffler-Wirth
- Interdisciplinary Centre for Bioinformatics (IZBI), Leipzig University, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Claudia Lehmann
- Laboratory for Transplantation Immunology, University Hospital Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Nils Lachmann
- Institute for Transfusion Medicine, H & I Laboratory, Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Corporate Member of Freie Universität Berlin and Humboldt Universitätzu Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Ilias Doxiadis
- Laboratory for Transplantation Immunology, University Hospital Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany
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3
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Million KM, Proffit MR, Reese SJ. Response to MHC-based olfactory cues in a mate choice context in two species of darter (Percidae: Etheostoma). Ecol Evol 2024; 14:e11025. [PMID: 38384826 PMCID: PMC10880076 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.11025] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/04/2023] [Revised: 12/01/2023] [Accepted: 12/02/2023] [Indexed: 02/23/2024] Open
Abstract
Mate choice is hypothesized to play an important role in maintaining high diversity at major histocompatibility complex (MHC) genes in vertebrates. Many studies have revealed that females across taxa prefer the scent of males with MHC genotypes different to their own. In this study we tested the "opposites-attract" hypothesis in two species of darter with known differences in female criteria used in mate choice: in the fantail darters (a paternal-care species), females prefer males with visual traits related to nest guarding and egg tending, while in rainbow darters (not a paternal-care species) female mate choice criteria are unknown. In dichotomous mate-choice trials, we presented females of both species with the scents of conspecific males with MHC class IIb genotypes that were either similar or dissimilar to that of the focal female. We evaluated the proportion of time each female spent with each male and calculated the average strength of female preference for both species. Female fantail darters demonstrated a preference for the scent of males with similar (rather than dissimilar) MHC genotypes, but this result was not statistically significant. Rainbow darter females showed no preference for the scent of males with similar or dissimilar MHC genotypes. Our results do not support the "opposites-attract" hypothesis in darters.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kara M. Million
- Department of BiologyIndiana UniversityBloomingtonIndianaUSA
| | - Melissa R. Proffit
- Department of BiologyIndiana UniversityBloomingtonIndianaUSA
- Present address:
Department of Ecology and Evolutionary BiologyUniversity of TennesseeKnoxvilleTennesseeUSA
| | - Sierra J. Reese
- Department of BiologyIndiana UniversityBloomingtonIndianaUSA
- Present address:
Department of BiologyUniversity of California, DavisDavisCaliforniaUSA
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Chaves PB, Strier KB, Di Fiore A. Paternity data reveal high MHC diversity among sires in a polygynandrous, egalitarian primate. Proc Biol Sci 2023; 290:20231035. [PMID: 37528707 PMCID: PMC10394425 DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2023.1035] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/10/2023] [Accepted: 07/10/2023] [Indexed: 08/03/2023] Open
Abstract
Evidence from human and nonhuman primates suggests that females avoid breeding with close kin and may choose mates based on MHC diversity, which can improve offspring survival. In despotic societies, female mate choice may be hindered by male sexual coercion, but in egalitarian societies, females may be less constrained. Among northern muriquis-an egalitarian, polygynandrous primate with male philopatry-analyses of new data on paternity and variation at microsatellite and MHC loci, combined with behavioural and life-history data, revealed that sires showed higher MHC diversity than expected by chance and were never close kin of dams, consistent with predictions of female mate choice and close inbreeding avoidance. However, females did not differentially reproduce with males who were more distantly related to them or more dissimilar at the MHC than expected by chance, nor with those who had more MHC alleles distinct from their own. The lack of male dominance may permit females to identify and reproduce preferentially with non-offspring males and with males who are more diverse at the MHC. Nonetheless, the absence of disassortative mating at the MHC and neutral loci suggests that female mate choice may be limited by other factors impacting male fertilization success.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paulo B. Chaves
- Department of Anthropology, New York University, New York, USA
- Department of Anthropology and the Primate Molecular Ecology and Evolution Laboratory, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, USA
| | - Karen B. Strier
- Department of Anthropology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, USA
| | - Anthony Di Fiore
- Department of Anthropology and the Primate Molecular Ecology and Evolution Laboratory, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, USA
- Tiputini Biodiversity Station, College of Biological and Environmental Sciences, Universidad San Francisco de Quito, Cumbayá, Ecuador
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Kollikowski A, Jeschke S, Radespiel U. Experimental Evaluation of Spontaneous Olfactory Discrimination in Two Nocturnal Primates (Microcebus murinus and M. lehilahytsara). Chem Senses 2021; 45:581-592. [PMID: 32710747 DOI: 10.1093/chemse/bjaa051] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Solitary species often employ chemocommunication to facilitate mate localization. In the solitarily foraging, nocturnal mouse lemurs (Microcebus spp.), females advertise their short period of estrus acoustically and by increased scent marking, whereas males search widely for receptive females. Both sexes can be trained by operant conditioning to discriminate conspecific from heterospecific urine scent. However, it is not known, if males during and outside the reproductive season show different spontaneous interest in conspecific female urine, and if urine from estrous females elicits a higher investigation response than that from diestrous females. We established a spontaneous discrimination paradigm and quantified olfactory investigation responses of 21 captive male mouse lemurs of M. lehilahytsara and M. murinus when presenting 1 conspecific and 1 heterospecific female urine odor sample simultaneously. Overall, M. murinus investigated stimuli significantly longer than M. lehilahytsara. Moreover, males of M. murinus showed significantly longer olfactory investigation at conspecific urine samples during but not outside the reproductive season. This indicates that female urinary cues are spontaneously discriminated by male M. murinus and that this discrimination is more relevant during the reproductive season. However, males of both species did not show different responses toward urine samples from estrous versus diestrous females. Finally, male age did not correlate with the overall duration of olfactory investigation, and investigation levels were similar when testing with fresh or frozen urine samples. In conclusion, this new spontaneous discrimination paradigm provides a useful additional tool to study olfactory communication of nocturnal primates from the receiver's perspective.
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Affiliation(s)
- Annika Kollikowski
- Institute of Zoology, University of Veterinary Medicine Hannover, Bünteweg, Hannover, Germany
| | - Selina Jeschke
- Institute of Zoology, University of Veterinary Medicine Hannover, Bünteweg, Hannover, Germany
| | - Ute Radespiel
- Institute of Zoology, University of Veterinary Medicine Hannover, Bünteweg, Hannover, Germany
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Abstract
Odors may be pleasant or unpleasant and in practice, pleasant odors are attractive while unpleasant odors are repellent. However, an odor that is noxious to one species may be attractive to another. Plants, predators, and pathogens may enhance their transmission by manipulating these signals. This may be especially significant when odors attract arthropod disease vectors. Odor detection may also be important in small prey species for evasion of macropredators such as large carnivores. Conversely, pleasant odors may identify family members, parents, or sexual partners. They may also generate signals of good health or fitness and contribute to the process of mate selection. In this review, we seek to integrate these odor-driven processes into a coherent pattern of behaviors that serve to complement the innate and adaptive immune systems. It may be considered the 'behavioral immune system'.
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Rox A, van Vliet AH, Langermans JAM, Sterck EHM, Louwerse AL. A Stepwise Male Introduction Procedure to Prevent Inbreeding in Naturalistic Macaque Breeding Groups. Animals (Basel) 2021; 11:ani11020545. [PMID: 33669865 PMCID: PMC7923220 DOI: 10.3390/ani11020545] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/29/2021] [Revised: 02/09/2021] [Accepted: 02/15/2021] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Male introductions into captive primate breeding groups can be risky and unsuccessful. However, they are necessary to prevent inbreeding in naturalistic breeding groups. The procedure used to introduce new individuals may affect the success and influence the risks associated with group introductions. At the Biomedical Primate Research Centre (BPRC) in Rijswijk, the Netherlands, male rhesus macaque (Macaca mulatta) introductions into naturalistic social groups with a matrilineal structure and without a breeding male achieve relatively high success rates. This paper describes the male introduction procedure used at the BPRC. Males are stepwise familiarized with and introduced to their new group, while all interactions between the new male and the resident females are closely monitored. Monitoring the behaviour of the resident females and their new male during all stages of the introduction provides crucial information as to whether or not it is safe to proceed. The BPRC introduction procedure is widely applicable and may improve the management of captive primate groups in any housing facility worldwide. Thus, the careful introduction management can minimize the risk associated with male introductions and enhance the welfare of captive primates.
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Affiliation(s)
- Astrid Rox
- Biomedical Primate Research Centre, Animal Science Department, 2288 GJ Rijswijk, The Netherlands; (A.R.); (A.H.v.V.); (E.H.M.S.); (A.L.L.)
- Animal Behaviour & Cognition (Formerly Animal Ecology), Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, Utrecht University, 3508 TB Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - André H. van Vliet
- Biomedical Primate Research Centre, Animal Science Department, 2288 GJ Rijswijk, The Netherlands; (A.R.); (A.H.v.V.); (E.H.M.S.); (A.L.L.)
| | - Jan A. M. Langermans
- Biomedical Primate Research Centre, Animal Science Department, 2288 GJ Rijswijk, The Netherlands; (A.R.); (A.H.v.V.); (E.H.M.S.); (A.L.L.)
- Department Population Health Sciences, Division Animals in Science and Society, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Utrecht University, 3584 CM Utrecht, The Netherlands
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +31-152-842-620
| | - Elisabeth H. M. Sterck
- Biomedical Primate Research Centre, Animal Science Department, 2288 GJ Rijswijk, The Netherlands; (A.R.); (A.H.v.V.); (E.H.M.S.); (A.L.L.)
- Animal Behaviour & Cognition (Formerly Animal Ecology), Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, Utrecht University, 3508 TB Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Annet L. Louwerse
- Biomedical Primate Research Centre, Animal Science Department, 2288 GJ Rijswijk, The Netherlands; (A.R.); (A.H.v.V.); (E.H.M.S.); (A.L.L.)
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Zhang BY, Hu HY, Song CM, Huang K, Dunn DW, Yang X, Wang XW, Zhao HT, Wang CL, Zhang P, Li BG. MHC-Based Mate Choice in Wild Golden Snub-Nosed Monkeys. Front Genet 2020; 11:609414. [PMID: 33408742 PMCID: PMC7779673 DOI: 10.3389/fgene.2020.609414] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/23/2020] [Accepted: 11/23/2020] [Indexed: 11/15/2022] Open
Abstract
The genes of the major histocompatibility complex (MHC) are an important component of the vertebrate immune system and play a significant role in mate choice in many species. However, it remains unclear whether female mate choice in non-human primates is based on specific functional genes and/or genome-wide genes. The golden snub-nosed monkey (Rhinopithecus roxellana) lives in a multilevel society, which consists of several polygynous one-male-several-female units. Although adult females tend to mainly socialize with one adult male, females often initiate extra-pair copulations with other males resulting in a high proportion of offspring being fathered by extra-pair males. We investigated the effects of adaptive MHC genes and neutral microsatellites on female mate choice in a wild R. roxellana population. We sequenced 54 parent-offspring triads using two MHC class II loci (Rhro-DQA1 and Rhro-DQB1) and 20 microsatellites from 3 years of data. We found that the paternities of offspring were non-randomly associated with male MHC compositions not microsatellite genotypes. Our study showed that the fathers of all infants had significantly less variance for several estimates of genetic similarity to the mothers compared with random males at both MHC loci. Additionally, the MHC diversity of these fathers was significantly higher than random males. We also found support for choice based on specific alleles; compared with random males, Rhro-DQA1∗ 05 and Rhro-DQB1∗ 08 were more common in both the OMU (one-male unit) males and the genetic fathers of offspring. This study provides new evidence for female mate choice for MHC-intermediate dissimilarity (rather than maximal MHC dissimilarity) and highlights the importance of incorporating multiple MHC loci and social structure into studies of MHC-based mate choice in non-human primates.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bing-Yi Zhang
- Shaanxi Key Laboratory for Animal Conservation, College of Life Sciences, Northwest University, Xi'an, China
| | - Han-Yu Hu
- Shaanxi Key Laboratory for Animal Conservation, College of Life Sciences, Northwest University, Xi'an, China
| | - Chun-Mei Song
- Shaanxi Key Laboratory for Animal Conservation, College of Life Sciences, Northwest University, Xi'an, China
| | - Kang Huang
- Shaanxi Key Laboratory for Animal Conservation, College of Life Sciences, Northwest University, Xi'an, China
| | - Derek W Dunn
- Shaanxi Key Laboratory for Animal Conservation, College of Life Sciences, Northwest University, Xi'an, China
| | - Xi Yang
- Shaanxi Key Laboratory for Animal Conservation, College of Life Sciences, Northwest University, Xi'an, China
| | | | - Hai-Tao Zhao
- Shaanxi Key Laboratory for Animal Conservation, College of Life Sciences, Northwest University, Xi'an, China.,Shaanxi Institute of Zoology, Xi'an, China
| | - Cheng-Liang Wang
- Shaanxi Key Laboratory for Animal Conservation, College of Life Sciences, Northwest University, Xi'an, China.,Shaanxi Institute of Zoology, Xi'an, China
| | - Pei Zhang
- Shaanxi Key Laboratory for Animal Conservation, College of Life Sciences, Northwest University, Xi'an, China
| | - Bao-Guo Li
- Shaanxi Key Laboratory for Animal Conservation, College of Life Sciences, Northwest University, Xi'an, China.,Xi'an Branch of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Xi'an, China
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Jaworska J, Jaworski Z, Tobolski D, Siemieniuch M, Janowski T, Górecka-Bruzda A. Selection of reproductive partners in semi-feral horses (Equus caballus) is not influenced by major histocompatibility complex (MHC): A field study. Appl Anim Behav Sci 2020. [DOI: 10.1016/j.applanim.2020.104973] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/24/2022]
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10
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Dandine-Roulland C, Laurent R, Dall'Ara I, Toupance B, Chaix R. Genomic evidence for MHC disassortative mating in humans. Proc Biol Sci 2020; 286:20182664. [PMID: 30890093 DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2018.2664] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/09/2023] Open
Abstract
Although pervasive in many animal species, the evidence for major histocompatibility complex (MHC) disassortative mating in humans remains inconsistent across studies. Here, to revisit this issue, we analyse dense genotype data for 883 European and Middle Eastern couples. To distinguish MHC-specific effects from socio-cultural confounders, the pattern of relatedness between spouses in the MHC region is compared to the rest of the genome. Couples from Israel exhibit no significant pattern of relatedness across the MHC region, whereas across the genome, they are more similar than random pairs of individuals, which may reflect social homogamy and/or cousin marriages. On the other hand, couples from The Netherlands and more generally from Northern Europe are significantly more MHC-dissimilar than random pairs of individuals, and this pattern of dissimilarity is extreme when compared with the rest of the genome. Our findings support the hypothesis that the MHC influences mate choice in humans in a context-dependent way: MHC-driven preferences may exist in all populations but, in some populations, social constraints over mate choice may reduce the ability of individuals to rely on such biological cues when choosing their mates.
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Affiliation(s)
- Claire Dandine-Roulland
- Eco-Anthropologie, UMR 7206, CNRS, MNHN, Université Paris Diderot , Sorbonne Paris Cité, Paris , France
| | - Romain Laurent
- Eco-Anthropologie, UMR 7206, CNRS, MNHN, Université Paris Diderot , Sorbonne Paris Cité, Paris , France
| | - Irene Dall'Ara
- Eco-Anthropologie, UMR 7206, CNRS, MNHN, Université Paris Diderot , Sorbonne Paris Cité, Paris , France
| | - Bruno Toupance
- Eco-Anthropologie, UMR 7206, CNRS, MNHN, Université Paris Diderot , Sorbonne Paris Cité, Paris , France
| | - Raphaëlle Chaix
- Eco-Anthropologie, UMR 7206, CNRS, MNHN, Université Paris Diderot , Sorbonne Paris Cité, Paris , France
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11
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Brandies PA, Grueber CE, Ivy JA, Hogg CJ, Belov K. Disentangling the mechanisms of mate choice in a captive koala population. PeerJ 2018; 6:e5438. [PMID: 30155356 PMCID: PMC6108315 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.5438] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/22/2017] [Accepted: 07/23/2018] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Successful captive breeding programs are crucial to the long-term survival of many threatened species. However, pair incompatibility (breeding failure) limits sustainability of many captive populations. Understanding whether the drivers of this incompatibility are behavioral, genetic, or a combination of both, is crucial to improving breeding programs. We used 28 years of pairing data from the San Diego Zoo koala colony, plus genetic analyses using both major histocompatibility complex (MHC)-linked and non-MHC-linked microsatellite markers, to show that both genetic and non-genetic factors can influence mating success. Male age was reconfirmed to be a contributing factor to the likelihood of a koala pair copulating. This trend could also be related to a pair's age difference, which was highly correlated with male age in our dataset. Familiarity was reconfirmed to increase the probability of a successful copulation. Our data provided evidence that females select mates based on MHC and genome-wide similarity. Male heterozygosity at MHC class II loci was associated with both pre- and post-copulatory female choice. Genome-wide similarity, and similarity at the MHC class II DAB locus, were also associated with female choice at the post-copulatory level. Finally, certain MHC-linked alleles were associated with either increased or decreased mating success. We predict that utilizing a variety of behavioral and MHC-dependent mate choice mechanisms improves female fitness through increased reproductive success. This study highlights the complexity of mate choice mechanisms in a species, and the importance of ascertaining mate choice mechanisms to improve the success of captive breeding programs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Parice A. Brandies
- School of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Catherine E. Grueber
- School of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia
- San Diego Zoo Global, San Diego, CA, USA
| | | | - Carolyn J. Hogg
- School of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Katherine Belov
- School of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia
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Hartnett CM, Parrott ML, Mulder RA, Coulson G, Magrath MJ. Opportunity for female mate choice improves reproductive outcomes in the conservation breeding program of the eastern barred bandicoot (Perameles gunnii). Appl Anim Behav Sci 2018. [DOI: 10.1016/j.applanim.2017.10.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/18/2022]
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13
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Pearson SK, Godfrey SS, Schwensow N, Bull CM, Gardner MG. Genes and Group Membership Predict Gidgee Skink (Egernia stokesii) Reproductive Pairs. J Hered 2017; 108:369-378. [PMID: 28407082 DOI: 10.1093/jhered/esx026] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/20/2016] [Accepted: 04/10/2017] [Indexed: 01/24/2023] Open
Abstract
Due to their role in mate choice, disease resistance and kin recognition, genes of the major histocompatibility complex (MHC) are good candidates for investigating genetic-based mate choice. MHC-based mate choice is context dependent and influenced by many factors including social structure. Social structure diversity makes the Egernia group of lizards suitable for comparative studies of MHC-based mate choice. We investigated mate choice in the gidgee skink (Egernia stokesii), a lizard that exhibits high levels of social group and spatial stability. Group membership was incorporated into tests of the good genes as heterozygosity and compatible genes hypotheses for adaptive (MHC) and neutral (microsatellite) genetic diversity (n = 47 individuals genotyped). Females were more likely to pair with a male with higher MHC diversity and with whom they had a lower degree of microsatellite relatedness. Males were more likely to pair with a female with higher microsatellite heterozygosity and with whom they shared a lower proportion of MHC alleles. Lizards were more likely to mate with an individual from within, rather than outside, their social group, which confirmed earlier findings for this species and indicated mate choice had already largely occurred prior to either social group formation or acceptance of an individual into an existing group. Thus, a combination of genes and group membership, rather than group membership alone, predicted mate choice in this species. This work will contribute to an enhanced understanding of squamate group formation and a deeper understanding of the evolution of sociality within all vertebrates.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarah K Pearson
- From the School of Biological Sciences, Flinders University of South Australia, Bedford Park 5042, Australia (Pearson, Bull, and Gardner); School of Veterinary and Life Sciences, Murdoch University, Murdoch, Australia (Godfrey); School of Biological Sciences, University of Adelaide, Adelaide, Australia (Schwensow); Institute of Evolutionary Ecology and Conservation Genomics, University of Ulm, Ulm, Germany (Schwensow); and Evolutionary Biology Unit, South Australian Museum, Adelaide, Australia (Gardner)
| | - Stephanie S Godfrey
- From the School of Biological Sciences, Flinders University of South Australia, Bedford Park 5042, Australia (Pearson, Bull, and Gardner); School of Veterinary and Life Sciences, Murdoch University, Murdoch, Australia (Godfrey); School of Biological Sciences, University of Adelaide, Adelaide, Australia (Schwensow); Institute of Evolutionary Ecology and Conservation Genomics, University of Ulm, Ulm, Germany (Schwensow); and Evolutionary Biology Unit, South Australian Museum, Adelaide, Australia (Gardner)
| | - Nina Schwensow
- From the School of Biological Sciences, Flinders University of South Australia, Bedford Park 5042, Australia (Pearson, Bull, and Gardner); School of Veterinary and Life Sciences, Murdoch University, Murdoch, Australia (Godfrey); School of Biological Sciences, University of Adelaide, Adelaide, Australia (Schwensow); Institute of Evolutionary Ecology and Conservation Genomics, University of Ulm, Ulm, Germany (Schwensow); and Evolutionary Biology Unit, South Australian Museum, Adelaide, Australia (Gardner)
| | - C Michael Bull
- From the School of Biological Sciences, Flinders University of South Australia, Bedford Park 5042, Australia (Pearson, Bull, and Gardner); School of Veterinary and Life Sciences, Murdoch University, Murdoch, Australia (Godfrey); School of Biological Sciences, University of Adelaide, Adelaide, Australia (Schwensow); Institute of Evolutionary Ecology and Conservation Genomics, University of Ulm, Ulm, Germany (Schwensow); and Evolutionary Biology Unit, South Australian Museum, Adelaide, Australia (Gardner)
| | - Michael G Gardner
- From the School of Biological Sciences, Flinders University of South Australia, Bedford Park 5042, Australia (Pearson, Bull, and Gardner); School of Veterinary and Life Sciences, Murdoch University, Murdoch, Australia (Godfrey); School of Biological Sciences, University of Adelaide, Adelaide, Australia (Schwensow); Institute of Evolutionary Ecology and Conservation Genomics, University of Ulm, Ulm, Germany (Schwensow); and Evolutionary Biology Unit, South Australian Museum, Adelaide, Australia (Gardner)
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Sterck EHM, Bontrop RE, de Groot N, de Vos-Rouweler AJM, Doxiadis GGM. No postcopulatory selection against MHC-homozygous offspring: Evidence from a pedigreed captive rhesus macaque colony. Mol Ecol 2017; 26:3785-3793. [PMID: 28437562 DOI: 10.1111/mec.14153] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/27/2017] [Accepted: 04/18/2017] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
The heterozygosity status of polymorphic elements of the immune system, such as the major histocompatibility complex (MHC), is known to increase the potential to cope with a wider variety of pathogens. Pre- and postcopulatory processes may regulate MHC heterozygosity. In a population where mating occurs among individuals that share identical MHC haplotypes, postcopulatory selection may disfavour homozygous offspring or ones with two MHC haplotypes identical to its mother. We tested these ideas by determining the incidence of MHC-heterozygous and MHC-homozygous individuals in a pedigreed, partially consanguineous captive rhesus monkey colony. Bayesian statistics showed that when parents share MHC haplotypes, the distribution of MHC-heterozygous and MHC-homozygous individuals significantly fitted the expected Mendelian distribution, both for the complete MHC haplotypes, and for MHC class I or II genes separately. Altogether, we found in this captive colony no evidence for postcopulatory selection against MHC-homozygous individuals. However, the distribution of paternally and maternally inherited MHC haplotypes tended to differ significantly from expected. Individuals with two MHC haplotypes identical to their mother were underrepresented and offspring with MHC haplotypes identical to their father tended to be overrepresented. This suggests that postcopulatory processes affect MHC haplotype combination in offspring, but do not prevent low MHC heterozygosity.
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Affiliation(s)
- E H M Sterck
- Department of Animal Ecology, Utrecht University, Utrecht, The Netherlands.,Department of Animal Science, Ethology, Biomedical Primate Research Centre, Rijswijk, The Netherlands
| | - R E Bontrop
- Department of Comparative Genetics & Refinement, Biomedical Primate Research Centre, Rijswijk, The Netherlands.,Department of Theoretical Biology & Bioinformatics, Utrecht University, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - N de Groot
- Department of Comparative Genetics & Refinement, Biomedical Primate Research Centre, Rijswijk, The Netherlands
| | - A J M de Vos-Rouweler
- Department of Comparative Genetics & Refinement, Biomedical Primate Research Centre, Rijswijk, The Netherlands
| | - G G M Doxiadis
- Department of Comparative Genetics & Refinement, Biomedical Primate Research Centre, Rijswijk, The Netherlands
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15
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Walker KK, Rudicell RS, Li Y, Hahn BH, Wroblewski E, Pusey AE. Chimpanzees breed with genetically dissimilar mates. ROYAL SOCIETY OPEN SCIENCE 2017; 4:160422. [PMID: 28280546 DOI: 10.5061/dryad.d7g4c] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/28/2016] [Accepted: 11/23/2016] [Indexed: 05/22/2023]
Abstract
Inbreeding adversely affects fitness, whereas heterozygosity often augments it. Therefore, mechanisms to avoid inbreeding and increase genetic distance between mates should be advantageous in species where adult relatives reside together. Here we investigate mate choice for genetic dissimilarity in chimpanzees, a species in which many females avoid inbreeding through dispersal, but where promiscuous mating and sexual coercion can limit choice when related adults reside together. We take advantage of incomplete female dispersal in Gombe National Park, Tanzania to compare mate choice for genetic dissimilarity among immigrant and natal females in two communities using pairwise relatedness measures in 135 genotyped chimpanzees. As expected, natal females were more related to adult males in their community than were immigrant females. However, among 62 breeding events, natal females were not more related to the sires of their offspring than immigrant females, despite four instances of close inbreeding. Moreover, females were generally less related to the sires of their offspring than to non-sires. These results demonstrate that chimpanzees may be capable of detecting relatedness and selecting mates on the basis of genetic distance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kara K Walker
- Department of Evolutionary Anthropology , Duke University , Durham, NC , USA
| | | | - Yingying Li
- Departments of Medicine and Microbiology, Perelman School of Medicine , University of Pennsylvania , Philadelphia, PA , USA
| | - Beatrice H Hahn
- Departments of Medicine and Microbiology, Perelman School of Medicine , University of Pennsylvania , Philadelphia, PA , USA
| | - Emily Wroblewski
- Department of Structural Biology , Stanford University School of Medicine , Stanford, CA , USA
| | - Anne E Pusey
- Department of Evolutionary Anthropology , Duke University , Durham, NC , USA
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Walker KK, Rudicell RS, Li Y, Hahn BH, Wroblewski E, Pusey AE. Chimpanzees breed with genetically dissimilar mates. ROYAL SOCIETY OPEN SCIENCE 2017; 4:160422. [PMID: 28280546 PMCID: PMC5319312 DOI: 10.1098/rsos.160422] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/28/2016] [Accepted: 11/23/2016] [Indexed: 05/05/2023]
Abstract
Inbreeding adversely affects fitness, whereas heterozygosity often augments it. Therefore, mechanisms to avoid inbreeding and increase genetic distance between mates should be advantageous in species where adult relatives reside together. Here we investigate mate choice for genetic dissimilarity in chimpanzees, a species in which many females avoid inbreeding through dispersal, but where promiscuous mating and sexual coercion can limit choice when related adults reside together. We take advantage of incomplete female dispersal in Gombe National Park, Tanzania to compare mate choice for genetic dissimilarity among immigrant and natal females in two communities using pairwise relatedness measures in 135 genotyped chimpanzees. As expected, natal females were more related to adult males in their community than were immigrant females. However, among 62 breeding events, natal females were not more related to the sires of their offspring than immigrant females, despite four instances of close inbreeding. Moreover, females were generally less related to the sires of their offspring than to non-sires. These results demonstrate that chimpanzees may be capable of detecting relatedness and selecting mates on the basis of genetic distance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kara K Walker
- Department of Evolutionary Anthropology , Duke University , Durham, NC , USA
| | | | - Yingying Li
- Departments of Medicine and Microbiology, Perelman School of Medicine , University of Pennsylvania , Philadelphia, PA , USA
| | - Beatrice H Hahn
- Departments of Medicine and Microbiology, Perelman School of Medicine , University of Pennsylvania , Philadelphia, PA , USA
| | - Emily Wroblewski
- Department of Structural Biology , Stanford University School of Medicine , Stanford, CA , USA
| | - Anne E Pusey
- Department of Evolutionary Anthropology , Duke University , Durham, NC , USA
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Winternitz J, Abbate JL, Huchard E, Havlíček J, Garamszegi LZ. Patterns of MHC-dependent mate selection in humans and nonhuman primates: a meta-analysis. Mol Ecol 2016; 26:668-688. [DOI: 10.1111/mec.13920] [Citation(s) in RCA: 72] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/18/2016] [Revised: 10/14/2016] [Accepted: 10/19/2016] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- J. Winternitz
- Department of Evolutionary Ecology; Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Biology; August-Thienemann-Strasse 2 24306 Ploen Germany
- Institute of Vertebrate Biology; Czech Academy of Sciences; v.v.i. Květná 8 603 65 Brno Czech Republic
- Institute of Botany; Czech Academy of Sciences; v.v.i. Lidická 25/27 657 20 Brno Czech Republic
| | - J. L. Abbate
- Institute of Ecology and Evolution; University of Bern; Balterstrasse 6 3006 Bern Switzerland
- INRA - UMR 1062 CBGP (INRA; IRD; CIRAD; Montpellier SupAgro); 755 Avenue du campus Agropolis 34988 Montferrier-sur-Lez France
| | - E. Huchard
- CEFE UMR5175; CNRS - Université de Montpellier - EPHE; 1919 Route de Mende 34295 Montpellier Cedex 5 France
| | - J. Havlíček
- Department of Zoology; Faculty of Science; Charles University; Viničná 7 128 44 Prague 2 Czech Republic
| | - L. Z. Garamszegi
- Department of Evolutionary Ecology; Estación Biológica de Doñana-CSIC; c/Americo Vespucio s/n 41092 Seville Spain
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Setchell JM. Sexual Selection and the differences between the sexes in Mandrills (Mandrillus sphinx). AMERICAN JOURNAL OF PHYSICAL ANTHROPOLOGY 2016; 159:S105-29. [PMID: 26808101 DOI: 10.1002/ajpa.22904] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/01/2023]
Abstract
Sexual selection has become a major focus in evolutionary and behavioral ecology. It is also a popular research topic in primatology. I use studies of mandrills (Mandrillus sphinx), a classic example of extravagant armaments and ornaments in animals, to exemplify how a long-term, multidisciplinary approach that integrates field observations with laboratory methods can contribute to on-going theoretical debates in the field of sexual selection. I begin with a brief summary of the main concepts of sexual selection theory and the differences between the sexes. I then introduce mandrills and the study population and review mandrill life history, the ontogeny of sex differences, and maternal effects. Next, I focus on male-male competition and female choice, followed by the less well-studied questions of female-female competition and male choice. This review shows how different reproductive priorities lead to very different life histories and divergent adaptations in males and females. It demonstrates how broadening traditional perspectives on sexual selection beyond the ostentatious results of intense sexual selection on males leads to an understanding of more subtle and cryptic forms of competition and choice in both sexes and opens many productive avenues in the study of primate reproductive strategies. These include the potential for studies of postcopulatory selection, female intrasexual competition, and male choice. These studies of mandrills provide comparison and, I hope, inspiration for studies of both other polygynandrous species and species with mating systems less traditionally associated with sexual selection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joanna M Setchell
- Department of Anthropology, Evolutionary Anthropology Research Group, Behaviour Ecology and Evolution Research (BEER) Centre, Durham University, Durham, DH1 3LE, UK
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Setchell JM, Richards SA, Abbott KM, Knapp LA. Mate-guarding by male mandrills ( Mandrillus sphinx) is associated with female MHC genotype. Behav Ecol 2016. [DOI: 10.1093/beheco/arw106] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
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Ferrandiz-Rovira M, Allainé D, Callait-Cardinal MP, Cohas A. Mate choice for neutral and MHC genetic characteristics in Alpine marmots: different targets in different contexts? Ecol Evol 2016; 6:4243-57. [PMID: 27386072 PMCID: PMC4930977 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.2189] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/15/2016] [Revised: 04/11/2016] [Accepted: 04/26/2016] [Indexed: 01/16/2023] Open
Abstract
Sexual selection through female mate choice for genetic characteristics has been suggested to be an important evolutionary force maintaining genetic variation in animal populations. However, the genetic targets of female mate choice are not clearly identified and whether female mate choice is based on neutral genetic characteristics or on particular functional loci remains an open question. Here, we investigated the genetic targets of female mate choice in Alpine marmots (Marmota marmota), a socially monogamous mammal where extra‐pair paternity (EPP) occurs. We used 16 microsatellites to describe neutral genetic characteristics and two MHC loci belonging to MHC class I and II as functional genetic characteristics. Our results reveal that (1) neutral and MHC genetic characteristics convey different information in this species, (2) social pairs show a higher MHC class II dissimilarity than expected under random mate choice, and (3) the occurrence of EPP increases when social pairs present a high neutral genetic similarity or dissimilarity but also when they present low MHC class II dissimilarity. Thus, female mate choice is based on both neutral and MHC genetic characteristics, and the genetic characteristics targeted seem to be context dependent (i.e., the genes involved in social mate choice and genetic mate choice differ). We emphasize the need for empirical studies of mate choice in the wild using both neutral and MHC genetic characteristics because whether neutral and functional genetic characteristics convey similar information is not universal.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mariona Ferrandiz-Rovira
- Laboratoire Biométrie et Biologie Evolutive Université de Lyon CNRS UMR 5558 Université Lyon 1 F-69622 Villeurbanne F-69000 Lyon France; Université of Lyon VetAgro Sup Campus Vet F-69280 Marcy-L'Étoile France; CREAF Cerdanyola del Vallès 08193 Catalonia Spain; Univ Autònoma de Barcelona Cerdanyola del Vallès 08193 Catalonia Spain
| | - Dominique Allainé
- Laboratoire Biométrie et Biologie Evolutive Université de Lyon CNRS UMR5558 Université Lyon 1 F-69622 Villeurbanne F-69000 Lyon France
| | - Marie-Pierre Callait-Cardinal
- Laboratoire Biométrie et Biologie Evolutive Université de Lyon CNRS UMR 5558 Université Lyon 1 F-69622 Villeurbanne F-69000 Lyon France; Université of Lyon VetAgro Sup Campus Vet F-69280 Marcy-L'Étoile France
| | - Aurélie Cohas
- Laboratoire Biométrie et Biologie Evolutive Université de Lyon CNRS UMR5558 Université Lyon 1 F-69622 Villeurbanne F-69000 Lyon France
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Galaverni M, Caniglia R, Milanesi P, Lapalombella S, Fabbri E, Randi E. Choosy Wolves? Heterozygote Advantage But No Evidence of MHC-Based Disassortative Mating. J Hered 2015; 107:134-42. [PMID: 26610365 DOI: 10.1093/jhered/esv090] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/15/2015] [Accepted: 10/27/2015] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
A variety of nonrandom mate choice strategies, including disassortative mating, are used by vertebrate species to avoid inbreeding, maintain heterozygosity and increase fitness. Disassortative mating may be mediated by the major histocompatibility complex (MHC), an important gene cluster controlling immune responses to pathogens. We investigated the patterns of mate choice in 26 wild-living breeding pairs of gray wolf (Canis lupus) that were identified through noninvasive genetic methods and genotyped at 3 MHC class II and 12 autosomal microsatellite (STR) loci. We tested for deviations from random mating and evaluated the covariance of genetic variables at functional and STR markers with fitness proxies deduced from pedigree reconstructions. Results did not show evidences of MHC-based disassortative mating. Rather we found a higher peptide similarity between mates at MHC loci as compared with random expectations. Fitness values were positively correlated with heterozygosity of the breeders at both MHC and STR loci, whereas they decreased with relatedness at STRs. These findings may indicate fitness advantages for breeders that, while avoiding highly related mates, are more similar at the MHC and have high levels of heterozygosity overall. Such a pattern of MHC-assortative mating may reflect local coadaptation of the breeders, while a reduction in genetic diversity may be balanced by heterozygote advantages.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marco Galaverni
- From the Laboratorio di genetica, ISPRA, via Cà Fornacetta 9, 40064 Ozzano dell'Emilia (Bologna), Italy (Galaverni, Caniglia, Milanesi, Fabbri, and Randi); Department of Biological, Geological and Environmental Sciences (BiGeA), University of Bologna, Via Selmi 3, 40126 Bologna, Italy (Lapalombella); and Department 18/Section of Environmental Engineering, Aalborg University, 9220 Aalborg, Denmark (Randi).
| | - Romolo Caniglia
- From the Laboratorio di genetica, ISPRA, via Cà Fornacetta 9, 40064 Ozzano dell'Emilia (Bologna), Italy (Galaverni, Caniglia, Milanesi, Fabbri, and Randi); Department of Biological, Geological and Environmental Sciences (BiGeA), University of Bologna, Via Selmi 3, 40126 Bologna, Italy (Lapalombella); and Department 18/Section of Environmental Engineering, Aalborg University, 9220 Aalborg, Denmark (Randi)
| | - Pietro Milanesi
- From the Laboratorio di genetica, ISPRA, via Cà Fornacetta 9, 40064 Ozzano dell'Emilia (Bologna), Italy (Galaverni, Caniglia, Milanesi, Fabbri, and Randi); Department of Biological, Geological and Environmental Sciences (BiGeA), University of Bologna, Via Selmi 3, 40126 Bologna, Italy (Lapalombella); and Department 18/Section of Environmental Engineering, Aalborg University, 9220 Aalborg, Denmark (Randi)
| | - Silvana Lapalombella
- From the Laboratorio di genetica, ISPRA, via Cà Fornacetta 9, 40064 Ozzano dell'Emilia (Bologna), Italy (Galaverni, Caniglia, Milanesi, Fabbri, and Randi); Department of Biological, Geological and Environmental Sciences (BiGeA), University of Bologna, Via Selmi 3, 40126 Bologna, Italy (Lapalombella); and Department 18/Section of Environmental Engineering, Aalborg University, 9220 Aalborg, Denmark (Randi)
| | - Elena Fabbri
- From the Laboratorio di genetica, ISPRA, via Cà Fornacetta 9, 40064 Ozzano dell'Emilia (Bologna), Italy (Galaverni, Caniglia, Milanesi, Fabbri, and Randi); Department of Biological, Geological and Environmental Sciences (BiGeA), University of Bologna, Via Selmi 3, 40126 Bologna, Italy (Lapalombella); and Department 18/Section of Environmental Engineering, Aalborg University, 9220 Aalborg, Denmark (Randi)
| | - Ettore Randi
- From the Laboratorio di genetica, ISPRA, via Cà Fornacetta 9, 40064 Ozzano dell'Emilia (Bologna), Italy (Galaverni, Caniglia, Milanesi, Fabbri, and Randi); Department of Biological, Geological and Environmental Sciences (BiGeA), University of Bologna, Via Selmi 3, 40126 Bologna, Italy (Lapalombella); and Department 18/Section of Environmental Engineering, Aalborg University, 9220 Aalborg, Denmark (Randi)
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22
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Heistermann M, Higham JP. Urinary neopterin, a non-invasive marker of mammalian cellular immune activation, is highly stable under field conditions. Sci Rep 2015; 5:16308. [PMID: 26549509 PMCID: PMC4637859 DOI: 10.1038/srep16308] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/29/2015] [Accepted: 10/12/2015] [Indexed: 01/02/2023] Open
Abstract
Studying immunity and immune function in ecology and evolution requires field studies, but there has been a dearth of non-invasive markers of immune activation available for studying large wild mammals. Recently, we analytically and biologically validated the measurement of urinary neopterin (NEO), a biomarker of cellular immune activation, in captive macaques. However, applying this to free-ranging settings is complicated by issues involving sample collection, processing, storage, and transport. Here, we collected urine samples from captive macaques and undertook experiments simulating common field issues. We tested the effects on urinary NEO sample measurements following: dirt and faecal contamination; storage at room temperature; differences in processing and long-term storage methods (freezing, lyophilising, blotting onto filter paper); and freeze-thaw cycles. Our results show that concentrations of urinary NEO are highly stable--they are not affected by soil or faecal contamination, can be collected on filter paper and stored for many months frozen or lyophilised with minimal effect, and are resistant to multiple 24 hr freeze-thaws. With the addition of a biocidal preservative, concentrations are even stable at room temperature for long periods. Urinary NEO is remarkably resilient, and is highly suitable for non-invasive field studies of cellular immune responses in wild large mammals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael Heistermann
- Endocrinology Laboratory, German Primate Centre, Leibniz Institute for Primate Research, Goettingen, Germany
| | - James P. Higham
- Department of Anthropology, New York University, New York, NY, USA
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23
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Wright DJ, Brouwer L, Mannarelli ME, Burke T, Komdeur J, Richardson DS. Social pairing of Seychelles warblers under reduced constraints: MHC, neutral heterozygosity, and age. Behav Ecol 2015; 27:295-303. [PMID: 26792973 PMCID: PMC4718175 DOI: 10.1093/beheco/arv150] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/16/2015] [Revised: 07/17/2015] [Accepted: 08/10/2015] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
Abstract
The prevalence and significance of precopulatory mate choice remains keenly debated. The major histocompatibility complex (MHC) plays a key role in vertebrate adaptive immunity, and variation at the MHC influences individual survival. Although MHC-dependent mate choice has been documented in certain species, many other studies find no such pattern. This may be, at least in part, because in natural systems constraints may reduce the choices available to individuals and prevent full expression of underlying preferences. We used translocations to previously unoccupied islands to experimentally reduce constraints on female social mate choice in the Seychelles warbler (Acrocephalus sechellensis), a species in which patterns of MHC-dependent extrapair paternity (EPP), but not social mate choice, have been observed. We find no evidence of MHC-dependent social mate choice in the new populations. Instead, we find that older males and males with more microsatellite heterozygosity are more likely to have successfully paired. Our data cannot resolve whether these patterns in pairing were due to male-male competition or female choice. However, our research does suggest that female Seychelles warblers do not choose social mates using MHC class I to increase fitness. It may also indicate that the MHC-dependent EPP observed in the source population is probably due to mechanisms other than female precopulatory mate choice based on MHC cues.
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Affiliation(s)
- David J Wright
- School of Biological Sciences, University of East Anglia, Norwich Research Park, Norwich, Norfolk NR4 7TJ, UK,; Department of Animal and Plant Sciences, NERC Biomolecular Analysis Facility, University of Sheffield, Sheffield S10 2TN, UK
| | - Lyanne Brouwer
- Evolution, Ecology & Genetics, Research School of Biology, The Australian National University , Canberra, Australian Capital Territory 0200 , Australia
| | - Maria-Elena Mannarelli
- Department of Animal and Plant Sciences, NERC Biomolecular Analysis Facility, University of Sheffield , Sheffield S10 2TN , UK
| | - Terry Burke
- Department of Animal and Plant Sciences, NERC Biomolecular Analysis Facility, University of Sheffield , Sheffield S10 2TN , UK
| | - Jan Komdeur
- Behavioural Ecology and Self-organization Group, Centre for Ecological and Evolutionary Studies, University of Groningen , PO Box 11103, 9700 CC Groningen , The Netherlands , and
| | - David S Richardson
- School of Biological Sciences, University of East Anglia, Norwich Research Park, Norwich, Norfolk NR4 7TJ, UK,; Nature Seychelles, Centre for Environment and Education, The Sanctuary, PO Box 1310, Roche Caiman, Victoria, Mahé, Republic of Seychelles
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Wroblewski EE, Norman PJ, Guethlein LA, Rudicell RS, Ramirez MA, Li Y, Hahn BH, Pusey AE, Parham P. Signature Patterns of MHC Diversity in Three Gombe Communities of Wild Chimpanzees Reflect Fitness in Reproduction and Immune Defense against SIVcpz. PLoS Biol 2015; 13:e1002144. [PMID: 26020813 PMCID: PMC4447270 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pbio.1002144] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/31/2014] [Accepted: 04/02/2015] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Major histocompatibility complex (MHC) class I molecules determine immune responses to viral infections. These polymorphic cell-surface glycoproteins bind peptide antigens, forming ligands for cytotoxic T and natural killer cell receptors. Under pressure from rapidly evolving viruses, hominoid MHC class I molecules also evolve rapidly, becoming diverse and species-specific. Little is known of the impact of infectious disease epidemics on MHC class I variant distributions in human populations, a context in which the chimpanzee is the superior animal model. Population dynamics of the chimpanzees inhabiting Gombe National Park, Tanzania have been studied for over 50 years. This population is infected with SIVcpz, the precursor of human HIV-1. Because HLA-B is the most polymorphic human MHC class I molecule and correlates strongly with HIV-1 progression, we determined sequences for its ortholog, Patr-B, in 125 Gombe chimpanzees. Eleven Patr-B variants were defined, as were their frequencies in Gombe's three communities, changes in frequency with time, and effect of SIVcpz infection. The growing populations of the northern and central communities, where SIVcpz is less prevalent, have stable distributions comprising a majority of low-frequency Patr-B variants and a few high-frequency variants. Driving the latter to high frequency has been the fecundity of immigrants to the northern community, whereas in the central community, it has been the fecundity of socially dominant individuals. In the declining population of the southern community, where greater SIVcpz prevalence is associated with mortality and emigration, Patr-B variant distributions have been changing. Enriched in this community are Patr-B variants that engage with natural killer cell receptors. Elevated among SIVcpz-infected chimpanzees, the Patr-B*06:03 variant has striking structural and functional similarities to HLA-B*57, the human allotype most strongly associated with delayed HIV-1 progression. Like HLA-B*57, Patr-B*06:03 correlates with reduced viral load, as assessed by detection of SIVcpz RNA in feces.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emily E. Wroblewski
- Department of Structural Biology and Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, California, United States of America
- * E-mail: (EEW); (PP)
| | - Paul J. Norman
- Department of Structural Biology and Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, California, United States of America
| | - Lisbeth A. Guethlein
- Department of Structural Biology and Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, California, United States of America
| | - Rebecca S. Rudicell
- Vaccine Research Center, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland, United States of America
- Sanofi, Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States of America
| | - Miguel A. Ramirez
- Departments of Medicine and Microbiology, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States of America
| | - Yingying Li
- Departments of Medicine and Microbiology, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States of America
| | - Beatrice H. Hahn
- Departments of Medicine and Microbiology, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States of America
| | - Anne E. Pusey
- Department of Evolutionary Anthropology, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina, United States of America
| | - Peter Parham
- Department of Structural Biology and Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, California, United States of America
- * E-mail: (EEW); (PP)
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Drea CM. D'scent of man: a comparative survey of primate chemosignaling in relation to sex. Horm Behav 2015; 68:117-33. [PMID: 25118943 DOI: 10.1016/j.yhbeh.2014.08.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 88] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/28/2014] [Revised: 07/29/2014] [Accepted: 08/01/2014] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
Abstract
This article is part of a Special Issue (Chemosignals and Reproduction). As highly visual animals, primates, in general, and Old World species (including humans), in particular, are not immediately recognized for reliance in their daily interactions on olfactory communication. Nevertheless, views on primate olfactory acuity and the pervasiveness of their scent signaling are changing, with increased appreciation for the important role of body odors in primate social and sexual behavior. All major taxonomic groups, from lemurs to humans, are endowed with scent-producing organs, and either deposit or exude a wealth of volatile compounds, many of which are known semiochemicals. This review takes a comparative perspective to illustrate the reproductive context of primate signaling, the relevant information content of their signals, the sexually differentiated investigative responses generated, and the behavioral or physiological consequences of message transmission to both signaler and receiver. Throughout, humans are placed alongside their relatives to illustrate the evolutionary continuum in the sexual selection of primate chemosignals. This ever-growing body of evidence points to a critical role of scent in guiding the social behavior and reproductive function throughout the primate order.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christine M Drea
- Department of Evolutionary Anthropology, Duke University, Durham, NC 27708-0383, USA; Department of Biology, Duke University, Durham, NC 27708-0383, USA.
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Stanyon R, Bigoni F. Sexual selection and the evolution of behavior, morphology, neuroanatomy and genes in humans and other primates. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2014; 46P4:579-590. [PMID: 25445181 DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2014.10.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 69] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/27/2014] [Revised: 09/20/2014] [Accepted: 10/01/2014] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
Explaining human evolution means developing hypotheses about the occurrence of sex differences in the brain. Neuroanatomy is significantly influenced by sexual selection, involving the cognitive domain through competition for mates and mate choice. Male neuroanatomy emphasizes subcortical brain areas and visual-spatial skills whereas that of females emphasizes the neocortex and social cognitive areas. In primate species with high degrees of male competition, areas of the brain dealing with aggression are emphasized. Females have higher mirror neuron activity scores than males. Hundreds of genes differ in expression profiles between males and females. Sexually selected differences in gene expression can produce neuroanatomical sex differences. A feedback system links genes, gene expression, hormones, morphology, social structure and behavior. Sex differences, often through female choice, can be rapidly modulated by socialization. Human evolution is a dramatic case of how a trend toward pair bonding and monogamy lowered male competition and increased female choice as a necessary step in releasing the cognitive potential of our species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Roscoe Stanyon
- Department of Biology, University of Florence, Anthropology laboratories, via del Proconsolo 12, 50122 Florence, Italy.
| | - Francesca Bigoni
- Department of Biology, University of Florence, Anthropology laboratories, via del Proconsolo 12, 50122 Florence, Italy
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Higham JP, Maestripieri D. The Costs of Reproductive Success in Male Rhesus Macaques (Macaca mulatta) on Cayo Santiago. INT J PRIMATOL 2014. [DOI: 10.1007/s10764-014-9789-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
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Klailova M, Lee PC. Wild western lowland gorillas signal selectively using odor. PLoS One 2014; 9:e99554. [PMID: 25006973 PMCID: PMC4090154 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0099554] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/06/2014] [Accepted: 05/16/2014] [Indexed: 11/28/2022] Open
Abstract
Mammals communicate socially through visual, auditory and chemical signals. The chemical sense is the oldest sense and is shared by all organisms including bacteria. Despite mounting evidence for social chemo-signaling in humans, the extent to which it modulates behavior is debated and can benefit from comparative models of closely related hominoids. The use of odor cues in wild ape social communication has been only rarely explored. Apart from one study on wild chimpanzee sniffing, our understanding is limited to anecdotes. We present the first study of wild gorilla chemo-communication and the first analysis of olfactory signaling in relation to arousal levels and odor strength in wild apes. If gorilla scent is used as a signaling mechanism instead of only a sign of arousal or stress, odor emission should be context specific and capable of variation as a function of the relationships between the emitter and perceiver(s). Measured through a human pungency scale, we determined the factors that predicted extreme levels of silverback odor for one wild western lowland gorilla (Gorilla gorilla gorilla) group silverback. Extreme silverback odor was predicted by the presence and intensity of inter-unit interactions, silverback anger, distress and long-calling auditory rates, and the absence of close proximity between the silverback and mother of the youngest infant. Odor strength also varied according to the focal silverback's strategic responses during high intensity inter-unit interactions. Silverbacks appear to use odor as a modifiable form of communication; where odor acts as a highly flexible, context dependent signaling mechanism to group members and extra-group units. The importance of olfaction to ape social communication may be especially pertinent in Central African forests where limited visibility may necessitate increased reliance on other senses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michelle Klailova
- Division of Psychology, Behaviour, Evolution and Research Group, School of Natural Sciences, University of Stirling, Stirling, United Kingdom
- Departamento de Antropologia, Centro de Administração e Politicas Públicas, Instituto Superior de Ciências Sociais e Políticas, Universidade de Lisboa, Lisboa, Portugal
- Wildlife Conservation Research Unit, Department of Zoology, University of Oxford, The Recanati-Kaplan Centre, Tubney, United Kingdom
| | - Phyllis C. Lee
- Division of Psychology, Behaviour, Evolution and Research Group, School of Natural Sciences, University of Stirling, Stirling, United Kingdom
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de Groot N, Doxiadis GGM, Otting N, de Vos-Rouweler AJM, Bontrop RE. Differential recombination dynamics within the MHC of macaque species. Immunogenetics 2014; 66:535-44. [PMID: 24934118 PMCID: PMC4156779 DOI: 10.1007/s00251-014-0783-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/04/2014] [Accepted: 05/21/2014] [Indexed: 10/27/2022]
Abstract
A panel of 15 carefully selected microsatellites (short tandem repeats, STRs) has allowed us to study segregation and haplotype stability in various macaque species. The STRs span the major histocompatibility complex (MHC) region and map in more detail from the centromeric part of the Mhc-A to the DR region. Two large panels of Indian rhesus and Indonesian/Indochinese cynomolgus macaques have been subjected to pedigree analysis, allowing the definition of 161 and 36 different haplotypes and the physical mapping of 10 and 5 recombination sites, respectively. Although most recombination sites within the studied section of the Indian rhesus monkey MHC are situated between the Mhc-A and Mhc-B regions, the resulting recombination rate for this genomic segment is low and similar to that in humans. In contrast, in Indonesian/Indochinese macaques, two recombination sites, which appear to be absent in rhesus macaques, map between the class III and II regions. As a result, the mean recombination frequency of the core MHC, Mhc-A to class II, is higher in Indonesian/Indochinese cynomolgus than in Indian rhesus macaques, but as such is comparable to that in humans. The present communication demonstrates that the dynamics of recombination 'hot/cold spots' in the MHC, as well as their frequencies, may differ substantially between highly related macaque species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nanine de Groot
- Department of Comparative Genetics and Refinement, Biomedical Primate Research Centre, Lange Kleiweg 161, 2288 GJ, Rijswijk, The Netherlands
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Roberts SC, Cobey KD, Klapilová K, Havlíček J. An evolutionary approach offers a fresh perspective on the relationship between oral contraception and sexual desire. ARCHIVES OF SEXUAL BEHAVIOR 2013; 42:1369-1375. [PMID: 23733157 DOI: 10.1007/s10508-013-0126-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/02/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- S Craig Roberts
- School of Natural Sciences, University of Stirling, Stirling, FK9 4LA, UK,
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Winternitz JC, Minchey SG, Garamszegi LZ, Huang S, Stephens PR, Altizer S. Sexual selection explains more functional variation in the mammalian major histocompatibility complex than parasitism. Proc Biol Sci 2013; 280:20131605. [PMID: 23966643 PMCID: PMC3768310 DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2013.1605] [Citation(s) in RCA: 51] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/20/2013] [Accepted: 07/23/2013] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
Understanding drivers of genetic diversity at the major histocompatibility complex (MHC) is vitally important for predicting how vertebrate immune defence might respond to future selection pressures and for preserving immunogenetic diversity in declining populations. Parasite-mediated selection is believed to be the major selective force generating MHC polymorphism, and while MHC-based mating preferences also exist for multiple species including humans, the general importance of mate choice is debated. To investigate the contributions of parasitism and sexual selection in explaining among-species variation in MHC diversity, we applied comparative methods and meta-analysis across 112 mammal species, including carnivores, bats, primates, rodents and ungulates. We tested whether MHC diversity increased with parasite richness and relative testes size (as an indicator of the potential for mate choice), while controlling for phylogenetic autocorrelation, neutral mutation rate and confounding ecological variables. We found that MHC nucleotide diversity increased with parasite richness for bats and ungulates but decreased with parasite richness for carnivores. By contrast, nucleotide diversity increased with relative testes size for all taxa. This study provides support for both parasite-mediated and sexual selection in shaping functional MHC polymorphism across mammals, and importantly, suggests that sexual selection could have a more general role than previously thought.
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Affiliation(s)
- J C Winternitz
- Odum School of Ecology, University of Georgia, Athens, GA 30602, USA.
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The Major Histocompatibility Complex and Primate Behavioral Ecology: New Tools and Future Questions. INT J PRIMATOL 2013. [DOI: 10.1007/s10764-013-9700-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
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Huchard E, Baniel A, Schliehe-Diecks S, Kappeler PM. MHC-disassortative mate choice and inbreeding avoidance in a solitary primate. Mol Ecol 2013; 22:4071-86. [DOI: 10.1111/mec.12349] [Citation(s) in RCA: 43] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/29/2012] [Revised: 04/03/2013] [Accepted: 04/09/2013] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Elise Huchard
- Behavioral Ecology and Sociobiology Unit; German Primate Center; Kellnerweg 4 Göttingen Germany
- Courant Research Centre Evolution of Social Behaviour; University of Göttingen; Kellnerweg 6 Göttingen Germany
| | - Alice Baniel
- Behavioral Ecology and Sociobiology Unit; German Primate Center; Kellnerweg 4 Göttingen Germany
| | - Susanne Schliehe-Diecks
- Behavioral Ecology and Sociobiology Unit; German Primate Center; Kellnerweg 4 Göttingen Germany
- Courant Research Centre Evolution of Social Behaviour; University of Göttingen; Kellnerweg 6 Göttingen Germany
| | - Peter M. Kappeler
- Behavioral Ecology and Sociobiology Unit; German Primate Center; Kellnerweg 4 Göttingen Germany
- Courant Research Centre Evolution of Social Behaviour; University of Göttingen; Kellnerweg 6 Göttingen Germany
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Young C, Hähndel S, Majolo B, Schülke O, Ostner J. Male coalitions and female behaviour affect male mating success independent of dominance rank and female receptive synchrony in wild Barbary macaques. Behav Ecol Sociobiol 2013. [DOI: 10.1007/s00265-013-1577-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
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Abstract
Although female use of hormonal contraceptives (HCs) has been associated with a variety of physical side effects, the psychological and behavioral side effects have received comparatively little attention until recently. Indeed, the long-term impact of HC use on human psychology has been vastly under-researched and has only recently become a focus for mainstream scholars. Women who use HCs report higher rates of depression, reduced sexual functioning, and higher interest in short-term sexual relationships compared to their naturally-cycling counterparts. Also, HC use may alter women's ability to attract a mate, as well as the mate retention behaviors in both users and their romantic partners. Some evidence even suggests that HC use alters mate choice and may negatively affect sexual satisfaction in parous women, with potential effects on future offspring. Interestingly, HCs have become a standard method of population control for captive nonhuman primates, opening up exciting avenues for potential comparative research. Here, the existing literature on the psychobehavioral effects of HCs in humans and nonhuman primates is reviewed and discussed. The potential resulting downstream consequences for the path of human evolution and recommendations for how future research could tease apart the underlying causes of these psychobehavioral effects of HC use are discussed, including suggestions for research involving nonhuman primates.
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Hicks RE, Larned A, Borgia G. Bower paint removal leads to reduced female visits, suggesting bower paint functions as a chemical signal. Anim Behav 2013. [DOI: 10.1016/j.anbehav.2013.03.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
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40
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Charlton BD. Experimental tests of mate choice in nonhuman mammals: the need for an integrative approach. J Exp Biol 2013; 216:1127-30. [DOI: 10.1242/jeb.070318] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/28/2022]
Abstract
Summary
Experimental studies of mate choice have normally focused on non-mammal animal species, in which female mating preferences are based on clearly defined male traits. Because mammals are invariably larger and behaviourally more complex, they are less suited to this type of experimentation. Nevertheless, numerous studies on nonhuman mammals have shown that females appear to actively choose their mates. In this Commentary, I review the current literature to reveal that most experimental tests of mate choice in mammals are unable to reveal the actual male phenotypic trait(s) of female preference, which is crucial for identifying male characteristics under sexual selection. In addition, very few studies take into account female oestrous stage, or quantify the fitness benefits to discriminating females. Future work should concentrate on demonstrating female preferences for specific male traits that are shown by genetic paternity analysis to be correlated with male reproductive success, using setups that control for the effects of male and female mating strategies and in which the actual experiments are performed during the female's peak oestrous period.
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Milinski M, Croy I, Hummel T, Boehm T. Major histocompatibility complex peptide ligands as olfactory cues in human body odour assessment. Proc Biol Sci 2013; 280:20122889. [PMID: 23345577 PMCID: PMC3574394 DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2012.2889] [Citation(s) in RCA: 52] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
In many animal species, social communication and mate choice are influenced by cues encoded by the major histocompatibility complex (MHC). The mechanism by which the MHC influences sexual selection is a matter of intense debate. In mice, peptide ligands of MHC molecules activate subsets of vomeronasal and olfactory sensory neurons and influence social memory formation; in sticklebacks, such peptides predictably modify the outcome of mate choice. Here, we examine whether this evolutionarily conserved mechanism of interindividual communication extends to humans. In psychometric tests, volunteers recognized the supplementation of their body odour by MHC peptides and preferred ‘self’ to ‘non-self’ ligands when asked to decide whether the modified odour smelled ‘like themselves’ or ‘like their favourite perfume’. Functional magnetic resonance imaging indicated that ‘self’-peptides specifically activated a region in the right middle frontal cortex. Our results suggest that despite the absence of a vomeronasal organ, humans have the ability to detect and evaluate MHC peptides in body odour. This may provide a basis for the sensory evaluation of potential partners during human mate choice.
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Affiliation(s)
- Manfred Milinski
- Department of Evolutionary Ecology, Max Planck Institute of Evolutionary Biology, August-Thienemann-Strasse 2, 24306 Ploen, Germany
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Laurent R, Chaix R. MHC-dependent mate choice in humans: why genomic patterns from the HapMap European American dataset support the hypothesis. Bioessays 2012; 34:267-71. [PMID: 22344965 DOI: 10.1002/bies.201100150] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/24/2023]
Abstract
The role of the major histocompatibility complex (MHC) in mate choice in humans is controversial. Nowadays, the availability of genetic variation data at genomic scales allows for a careful assessment of this question. In 2008, Chaix et al. reported evidence for MHC-dependent mate choice among European American spouses from the HapMap 2 dataset. Recently, Derti et al. suggested that this observation was not robust. Furthermore, when Derti et al. applied similar analyses to the HapMap 3 European American samples, they did not see a significant effect. Although some of the points raised by Derti et al. are relevant, we disagree with the reported absence of evidence for MHC-dependent mate choice within the HapMap samples. More precisely, we show here that the MHC dissimilarity among HapMap 3 European American spouses is still extreme in comparison to the rest of the genome, even after multiple testing correction. This finding supports the hypothesis of MHC-dependent mate choice in some human populations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Romain Laurent
- Eco-Anthropologie et Ethnobiologie, UMR 7206 CNRS, MNHN, Université Paris Diderot, Sorbonne Paris Cité, Paris, France
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Abstract
Little is known about the genetic factors influencing mate choice in humans. Still, there is evidence for non-random mate choice with respect to physical traits. In addition, some studies suggest that the Major Histocompatibility Complex may affect pair formation. Nowadays, the availability of high density genomic data sets gives the opportunity to scan the genome for signatures of non-random mate choice without prior assumptions on which genes may be involved, while taking into account socio-demographic factors. Here, we performed a genome scan to detect extreme patterns of similarity or dissimilarity among spouses throughout the genome in three populations of African, European American, and Mexican origins from the HapMap 3 database. Our analyses identified genes and biological functions that may affect pair formation in humans, including genes involved in skin appearance, morphogenesis, immunity and behaviour. We found little overlap between the three populations, suggesting that the biological functions potentially influencing mate choice are population specific, in other words are culturally driven. Moreover, whenever the same functional category of genes showed a significant signal in two populations, different genes were actually involved, which suggests the possibility of evolutionary convergences.
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Affiliation(s)
- R Laurent
- Eco-Anthropologie et Ethnobiologie, UMR 7206 CNRS, MNHN, Université Paris Diderot, Sorbonne Paris Cité, Paris, France
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SZABADOS TAMÁS, BAKÁCS TIBOR. SUFFICIENT TO RECOGNIZE SELF TO ATTACK NON-SELF: BLUEPRINT FOR A ONE-SIGNAL T CELL MODEL. J BIOL SYST 2011. [DOI: 10.1142/s0218339011003919] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
Abstract
Current consensus postulates that the class I-antigen processing system is evolved to present microbial antigens to specific T cells. Since such cells are rare and short-lived, they require three to five days to attain fighting strength. During this critical period he innate immune system holds back the briskly multiplying pathogens. Nevertheless, a T cell response is measurable in the lymph nodes draining the infection site within 12 to 18 h. In order to explain this paradox here we suggest a new T cell model. This is based on the observation that T cells require continuous contact of the T cell receptor (TCR) with selecting self-peptide–major histocompatibility complex (MHC) molecules in the periphery for their survival. We postulate that a dynamic steady state, a so-called coupled system is formed through low affinity complementary TCR–MHC interactions between T cells and host cells. Under such condition it is sufficient to recognize what is self in order to attack what is not self. A coupled system is regulated via soluble forms of peptide–MHC and TCR molecules by the law of mass action. In a coupled system one signal is sufficient for T cell activation. The new model implies that a significant fraction of the naive polyclonal T cells are recruited into the first line of defense from the very outset of an infection, so the number of activated T cells is increased by several orders of magnitude compared to conventional models. The one-signal model also predicts that therapeutic administration of soluble agonist or antagonist T cell receptor ligands may be able to fine tune the homeostatic physiological regulatory mechanism and thus improve the treatment of some chronic diseases such as metastatic cancer, HIV/AIDS, and transplantation.
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Affiliation(s)
- TAMÁS SZABADOS
- Department of Mathematics, Budapest University of Technology and Economics, Műegyetem rkp 3, Budapest, 1521, Hungary
| | - TIBOR BAKÁCS
- Alfréd Rényi Institute of Mathematics, Hungarian Academy of Sciences, Reáltanoda u 13-15, Budapest, 1053, Hungary
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Mining the plasma immunopeptidome for cancer peptides as biomarkers and beyond. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2010; 107:18747-8. [PMID: 20974971 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1013851107] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
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