Do mitochondrially encoded peptides function as strain identity chemosignals in mice?

2019 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 17K19635
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Challenging Research (Exploratory)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Research Field: Brain sciences and related fields
• Research Institution: Kochi University
• Principal Investigator: KABA Hideto 高知大学, 医学部, 特任教授 (50136371)
• Project Period (FY): 2017-06-30 – 2020-03-31
• Keywords: 嗅覚コミュニケーション / ミトコンドリア由来ペプチド / ブルース効果 / 個体認識 / 鋤鼻系

Outline of Final Research Achievements

In this study I demonstrate (1) the pregnancy block effect on BALB/c mice by NZB mice, which differ from H-2d-compatible BALB/c mice by a single amino acid substitution in mitochondrially encoded peptides, i.e., the nine N-terminal amino acids of NADH dehydrogenases 1 and 2, (2) the unfamiliar (non-self) variants of non-formylated, but not N-formylated, ND1 and ND2 peptides induced pregnancy block and (3) the pregnancy block by an unfamiliar peptide derived from a male of a different strain was prevented by a memory formed at the time of mating with the male. These findings suggest that the mitochondrial peptides are naturally released from a mouse and can form part of the suite of cues for the recognition of strain differences. Such mitochondrial peptides that can signal individual information may be of importance in other vertebrate species and behavioral contexts.

Free Research Field

ブレインサイエン

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

本研究の成果は、嗅覚を介した動物間コミュニケーションの実態解明に大きく寄与すると共に、ミトコンドリアゲノム由来ペプチドが“自己か非自己か”を認識する際の原因となり得ることから、嗅覚系と免疫系との新たなクロストークの場を提供し、MHCによる体臭の違いがヒトの配偶者選択に影響を及ぼすように、ヒトにおける嗅覚コミュニケーションの新たな発見にも繋がり得る。