Multisensory logic of infant-directed aggression by males

• Yoh Isogai ^[1] ; Zheng Wu ^[1] ; Michael I. Love ^[2]
  1. [1] Harvard University

     Harvard University

     City of Cambridge, Estados Unidos

     
  2. [2] Harvard Medical School

     Harvard Medical School

     City of Boston, Estados Unidos

     
• Localización: Cell, ISSN 0092-8674, Vol. 175, Nº. 7, 2018, págs. 1827-1841
• Idioma: inglés
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• Resumen

  • Newborn mice emit signals that promote parenting from mothers and fathers but trigger aggressive responses from virgin males. Although pup-directed attacks by males require vomeronasal function, the specific infant cues that elicit this behavior are unknown. We developed a behavioral paradigm based on reconstituted pup cues and showed that discrete infant morphological features combined with salivary chemosignals elicit robust male aggression. Seven vomeronasal receptors were identified based on infant-mediated activity, and the involvement of two receptors, Vmn2r65 and Vmn2r88, in infant-directed aggression was demonstrated by genetic deletion. Using the activation of these receptors as readouts for biochemical fractionation, we isolated two pheromonal compounds, the submandibular gland protein C and hemoglobins. Unexpectedly, none of the identified vomeronasal receptors and associated cues were specific to pups. Thus, infant-mediated aggression by virgin males relies on the recognition of pup’s physical traits in addition to parental and infant chemical cues.