Note to users. If you're seeing this message, it means that your browser cannot find this page's style/presentation instructions -- or possibly that you are using a browser that does not support current Web standards. Find out more about why this message is appearing, and what you can do to make your experience of our site the best it can be.

Science 17 September 1999:
Vol. 285. no. 5435, pp. 1907 - 1909
DOI: 10.1126/science.285.5435.1907
Prev | Table of Contents | Next

Reports

Proteinaceous Pheromone Affecting Female Receptivity in a Terrestrial Salamander

Stephanie M. Rollmann, 1* Lynne D. Houck, 2 Richard C. Feldhoff 3

A 22-kilodalton protein was isolated from the submandibular (mental) gland of the male terrestrial salamander, Plethodon jordani (family: Plethodontidae). This proteinaceous pheromone, termed plethodontid receptivity factor (PRF), was experimentally delivered to the female during courtship and shown to increase female receptivity. In most plethodontid salamanders, ovulation occurs weeks or months after insemination, so the pheromone-induced change in receptivity is the only known function of PRF. The messenger RNAs corresponding to isoforms of PRF were transcribed into complementary DNA, cloned, sequenced, and shown to have homology with cytokines of the interleukin-6 family. Pheromone activity would represent a previously unrecognized function for cytokines.

1 Department of Ecology and Evolution, University of Chicago, 1101 East 57 Street, Chicago, IL 60637, USA.
2 Department of Zoology, Oregon State University, 3029 Cordley Hall, Corvallis, OR 97331, USA.
3 Department of Biochemistry, School of Medicine, University of Louisville, 319 Abraham Flexner Way, Louisville, KY 40292, USA.
*   To whom correspondence should be addressed. E-mail: smrollma{at}midway.uchicago.edu

Read the Full Text


THIS ARTICLE HAS BEEN CITED BY OTHER ARTICLES:
A Recombinant Courtship Pheromone Affects Sexual Receptivity in a Plethodontid Salamander.
L. D. Houck, R. A. Watts, S. J. Arnold, K. E. Bowen, K. M. Kiemnec, H. A. Godwin, P. W. Feldhoff, and R. C. Feldhoff (2008)
Chem Senses 33, 623-631
   Abstract »    Full Text »    PDF »
Phylogeny and evolution of class-I helical cytokines..
M. O Huising, C. P Kruiswijk, and G. Flik (2006)
J. Endocrinol. 189, 1-25
   Abstract »    Full Text »    PDF »
Lineage-Specific Differences in Evolutionary Mode in a Salamander Courtship Pheromone.
C. A. Palmer, R. A. Watts, R. G. Gregg, M. A. McCall, L. D. Houck, R. Highton, and S. J. Arnold (2005)
Mol. Biol. Evol. 22, 2243-2256
   Abstract »    Full Text »    PDF »
Operational sex ratio in newts: field responses and characterization of a constituent chemical cue.
J. R. Rohr, D. Park, A. M. Sullivan, M. McKenna, C. R. Propper, and D. M. Madison (2005)
Behav. Ecol. 16, 286-293
   Abstract »    Full Text »    PDF »
Characterization of Aplysia Enticin and Temptin, Two Novel Water-borne Protein Pheromones That Act in Concert with Attractin to Stimulate Mate Attraction.
S. F. Cummins, A. E. Nichols, A. Amare, A. B. Hummon, J. V. Sweedler, and G. T. Nagle (2004)
J. Biol. Chem. 279, 25614-25622
   Abstract »    Full Text »    PDF »
Stabilizing Selection on Behavior and Morphology Masks Positive Selection on the Signal in a Salamander Pheromone Signaling Complex.
R. A. Watts, C. A. Palmer, R. C. Feldhoff, P. W. Feldhoff, L. D. Houck, A. G. Jones, M. E. Pfrender, S. M. Rollmann, and S. J. Arnold (2004)
Mol. Biol. Evol. 21, 1032-1041
   Abstract »    Full Text »    PDF »
Neuropoietin, a new IL-6-related cytokine signaling through the ciliary neurotrophic factor receptor.
D. Derouet, F. Rousseau, F. Alfonsi, J. Froger, J. Hermann, F. Barbier, D. Perret, C. Diveu, C. Guillet, L. Preisser, et al. (2004)
PNAS 101, 4827-4832
   Abstract »    Full Text »    PDF »
Behavioral Characterization of Attractin, a Water-Borne Peptide Pheromone in the Genus Aplysia.
S. D. Painter, B. Clough, S. Black, and G. T. Nagle (2003)
Biol. Bull. 205, 16-25
   Abstract »    Full Text »    PDF »
Nares Occlusion Eliminates Heterosexual Partner Selection without Disrupting Coitus in Ferrets of Both Sexes.
K. R. Kelliher and M. J. Baum (2001)
J. Neurosci. 21, 5832-5840
   Abstract »    Full Text »    PDF »


To Advertise     Find Products

Science. ISSN 0036-8075 (print), 1095-9203 (online)