Functional characterization of olfactory binding proteins for appeasing compounds and molecular cloning in the vomeronasal organ of pre-pubertal pigs.
The appeasing behaviour of pre-pubertal pigs appears to result from the perception of maternal odours (fatty acids) and of steroids coming from the male. We have used a ligand-oriented approach to functionally characterize olfactory binding proteins involved in the detection of appeasing compounds in the nasal mucosa (NM) and the vomeronasal organ (VNO) of pre-pubertal pigs. Several proteins were identified, combining binding assay, immunodetection and protein sequencing. Their sites of expression in nasal and vomeronasal tissues were studied by reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). The proteins belong to the lipocalin superfamily: Alpha-1-acid glycoprotein (AGP), odorant-binding protein (OBP), salivary lipocalin (SAL) and Von Ebner's gland protein (VEG), and displayed different binding capacities for the appeasing compounds. RT-PCR experiments showed that OBP and VEG are expressed not only in the NM, but also in the VNO and that SAL is only expressed in the VNO. This is the first report of the expression of these lipocalins in the VNO. Different binding affinities between lipocalins and appeasing compounds, together with their different localizations in the olfactory systems, suggest multiple possibilities for the peripheral coding of appeasing signals.
Phérosynthèse SA, Le Rieu Neuf, F-84490 Saint-Saturnin-Les-Apt., France.
Gaëlle
G
Guiraudie
Patrick
P
Pageat
Anne-Hélène
AH
Cain
Iltud
I
Madec
Patricia
P
Nagnan-Le Meillour
D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D001483:Base Sequence; D001522:Behavior, Animal; D002352:Carrier Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology; D003001:Cloning, Molecular; D008024:Ligands; D054835:Lipocalin 1; D054834:Lipocalins; D008297:Male; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D009812:Odorants; D009831:Olfactory Mucosa / Q000502:physiology*; D009961:Orosomucoid / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology; D010675:Pheromones / Q000378:metabolism; D018035:Receptors, Odorant / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology*; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction / Q000379:methods; D012471:Salivary Proteins and Peptides / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology; D012903:Smell / Q000502:physiology*; D013552:Swine; D019147:Vomeronasal Organ / Q000502:physiology*
D002352:Carrier Proteins; D008024:Ligands; D054835:Lipocalin 1; D054834:Lipocalins; D009961:Orosomucoid; D010675:Pheromones; D018035:Receptors, Odorant; D012471:Salivary Proteins and Peptides; C045648:odorant-binding protein; C418979:salivary lipocalin protein, Sus scrofa