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| Poster #204 Chemosensory detection of predator-derived kairomones and associated behavior in mice |
| Jinxin Wang, Varun Varun, Julian Meeks Department of Neuroscience, University of Rochester School of Medicine and Dentistry, Rochester, NY, United States |
Mammalian social interaction relies heavily on chemosensory information processed by olfactory pathways. In terrestrial mammals, the accessory olfactory system (AOS) is specialized for detecting non-volatile cues, including kairomones (interspecific social cues) and pheromones (conspecific social cues). Our understanding of most natural AOS ligands, their receptors, and the behaviors they govern is still limited. Here, we present research on the chemosensory mechanisms involved in detecting and responding to predator snake feces-derived kairomones. Aqueous extracts of Eastern Massasauga Rattlesnake selectively activated a subset of vomeronasal sensory neurons (VSNs) in an ex vivo Ca2+ imaging assay. To identify molecules in snake feces that serve as VSN ligands, we fractionated snake feces extracts using reverse-phase high-performance liquid chromatography (RP-HPLC) and identified several fractions that retained the capacity to activate VSNs. Subsequent liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS) analysis of these subfractions identified several candidate molecules enriched in snake feces, including bile acids, metabolites, and fatty acids. To investigate the behavioral effects of mouse predator cues, we employed a machine learning (ML)-based analytical workflow to measure behavior from high-resolution 2D/3D videos precisely. The results indicate that mice display distinct behavioral patterns to snake feces compared to feces from non-mouse-predators. Taken together, these results suggest that a novel population of VSNs detects reptilian mouse predator chemosignals, and that their activation elicits distinct threat assessment responses. This research will provide the basis for identifying kairomone ligands and corresponding receptors that drive behavioral responses to environmental threats. |