Parent-Progeny Recognition as a Function of MHC Odortype Identity

The several linked polymorphic genes of the MHC, which has been proposed as a prime determinant of sensed genetic individuality within species, is known to operate in mice by olfactory recognition in aspects of reproductive behavior that concern mate selection, thereby favoring outbreeding and heter...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences - PNAS 2000-09, Vol.97 (19), p.10500-10502
Main Authors: Yamazaki, K., Beauchamp, G. K., Curran, M., Bard, J., Boyse, E. A.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Animals
Animals, Newborn
Bards
Bedding
Behavior, Animal
Biological Sciences
chemotypes
Feces
Female
Foster parents
Genetics
Major Histocompatibility Complex - genetics
Mazes
Mice
Mice, Inbred C57BL
Mothers
Odorants
Odors
Outbreeding
Pregnancy
Pups
Rodents
Senses
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Summary:The several linked polymorphic genes of the MHC, which has been proposed as a prime determinant of sensed genetic individuality within species, is known to operate in mice by olfactory recognition in aspects of reproductive behavior that concern mate selection, thereby favoring outbreeding and heterozygosity, and also concern the maintenance of pregnancy. A single base-change can alter an individual MHC odortype, and the potential range of combinatorial MHC-determined odortypes is clearly vast. Following our findings that newborn mice already express their MHC odortype (which is detectable at 9 days of gestational age), we sought to determine whether MHC is involved in behavioral aspects of early development, such as rearing. In the studies presented herein, we report the ability and proclivity of mothers to recognize and preferentially retrieve syngeneic (genetically identical) pups from other pups differing only for MHC. Reciprocally, we report the ability of pups to recognize their familial environment, regardless of whether they had been nursed by their biological mothers or by foster mothers. Early learning experiences of the MHC environment are apparently a key element in survival, assuring maternal protection and promoting outbreeding.
ISSN:0027-8424
1091-6490
DOI:10.1073/pnas.180320997