Responses to pup vocalizations in subordinate naked mole-rats are induced by estradiol ingested through coprophagy of queen's feces

Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America
Akiyuki WataraiTakefumi Kikusui

Abstract

Naked mole-rats form eusocial colonies consisting of a single breeding female (the queen), several breeding males, and sexually immature adults (subordinates). Subordinates are cooperative and provide alloparental care by huddling and retrieving pups to the nest. However, the physiological mechanism(s) underlying alloparental behavior of nonbreeders remains undetermined. Here, we examined the response of subordinates to pup voice and the fecal estradiol concentrations of subordinates during the three reproductive periods of the queen, including gestation, postpartum, and nonlactating. Subordinate response to pup voice was observed only during the queen's postpartum and was preceded by an incremental rise in subordinates' fecal estradiol concentrations during the queen's gestation period, which coincided with physiological changes in the queen. We hypothesized that the increased estradiol in the queen's feces was disseminated to subordinates through coprophagy, which stimulated subordinates' responses to pup vocalizations. To test this hypothesis, we fed subordinates either fecal pellets from pregnant queens or pellets from nonpregnant queens amended with estradiol for 9 days and examined their response to recorded pup voice. In...Continue Reading

References

Mar 1, 1991·Journal of Reproduction and Fertility·C G FaulkesJ U Jarvis
May 1, 1990·Journal of Reproduction and Fertility·C G FaulkesF E Sherriff
Oct 1, 1986·Biology of Reproduction·M Kruczek, A Marchlewska-Koj
Sep 1, 1974·Behavioral Biology·W P SmothermanT A Zachman
Jan 1, 1972·Developmental Psychobiology·E Noirot
Sep 1, 1972·Journal of Comparative and Physiological Psychology·J Terkel, J S Rosenblatt
Jul 22, 1997·Proceedings. Biological Sciences·F M Clarke, C G Faulkes
May 3, 2000·Journal of Dairy Science·H A Tucker
Dec 6, 2001·Hormone and Metabolic Research = Hormon- Und Stoffwechselforschung = Hormones Et Métabolisme·C MuirD deCatanzaro
Dec 10, 2002·Developmental Psychobiology·Betty ZimmerbergAleksandra C Stark
Mar 16, 2006·Proceedings. Biological Sciences·Anne A CarlsonTim Clutton-Brock
Aug 4, 2006·Reproduction : the Official Journal of the Society for the Study of Fertility·Denys deCatanzaroEmily Vella
Dec 26, 2006·Brain Research·Timothy D SmithThomas J Park
Jul 2, 2010·Proceedings. Biological Sciences·Luke HolmanPatrizia d'Ettorre
Jul 10, 2010·Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America·Kenji MatsuuraLaurent Keller
Oct 5, 2010·Experimental Gerontology·Yael H EdreyRochelle Buffenstein
Sep 22, 2017·Proceedings. Biological Sciences·Ben DantzerTim H Clutton-Brock
Oct 22, 2017·Hormones and Behavior·Alyxandra E PikusDustin R Rubenstein

❮ Previous
Next ❯

Citations

Nov 1, 2020·Biological Reviews of the Cambridge Philosophical Society·Stan BraudeThomas B Hildebrandt
Apr 22, 2021·Proceedings. Biological Sciences·Mauricio González-Forero, Jorge Peña
May 29, 2021·Integrative and Comparative Biology·Phoebe D EdwardsMelissa M Holmes
Sep 4, 2021·Biological Reviews of the Cambridge Philosophical Society·Rochelle BuffensteinEwan St John Smith
Dec 17, 2021·Communications Biology·Robert K Vander MeerRachelle M M Adams

❮ Previous
Next ❯

Related Concepts

Trending Feeds

COVID-19

Coronaviruses encompass a large family of viruses that cause the common cold as well as more serious diseases, such as the ongoing outbreak of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19; formally known as 2019-nCoV). Coronaviruses can spread from animals to humans; symptoms include fever, cough, shortness of breath, and breathing difficulties; in more severe cases, infection can lead to death. This feed covers recent research on COVID-19.

Blastomycosis

Blastomycosis fungal infections spread through inhaling Blastomyces dermatitidis spores. Discover the latest research on blastomycosis fungal infections here.

Nuclear Pore Complex in ALS/FTD

Alterations in nucleocytoplasmic transport, controlled by the nuclear pore complex, may be involved in the pathomechanism underlying multiple neurodegenerative diseases including Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis and Frontotemporal Dementia. Here is the latest research on the nuclear pore complex in ALS and FTD.

Applications of Molecular Barcoding

The concept of molecular barcoding is that each original DNA or RNA molecule is attached to a unique sequence barcode. Sequence reads having different barcodes represent different original molecules, while sequence reads having the same barcode are results of PCR duplication from one original molecule. Discover the latest research on molecular barcoding here.

Chronic Fatigue Syndrome

Chronic fatigue syndrome is a disease characterized by unexplained disabling fatigue; the pathology of which is incompletely understood. Discover the latest research on chronic fatigue syndrome here.

Evolution of Pluripotency

Pluripotency refers to the ability of a cell to develop into three primary germ cell layers of the embryo. This feed focuses on the mechanisms that underlie the evolution of pluripotency. Here is the latest research.

Position Effect Variegation

Position Effect Variagation occurs when a gene is inactivated due to its positioning near heterochromatic regions within a chromosome. Discover the latest research on Position Effect Variagation here.

STING Receptor Agonists

Stimulator of IFN genes (STING) are a group of transmembrane proteins that are involved in the induction of type I interferon that is important in the innate immune response. The stimulation of STING has been an active area of research in the treatment of cancer and infectious diseases. Here is the latest research on STING receptor agonists.

Microbicide

Microbicides are products that can be applied to vaginal or rectal mucosal surfaces with the goal of preventing, or at least significantly reducing, the transmission of sexually transmitted infections. Here is the latest research on microbicides.