Elephant albumin: a multipurpose pheromone shuttle - PubMed (original) (raw)
Elephant albumin: a multipurpose pheromone shuttle
Josef Lazar et al. Chem Biol. 2004 Aug.
Abstract
(Z)-7-dodecenyl acetate (Z7-12:Ac) is present in the urine of female Asian elephants (Elephas maximus) approaching ovulation and functions as a female-to-male sex pheromone. Here we show that a significant fraction of the pheromone in the urine is bound to a protein, elephant serum albumin (ESA), and provide evidence for key physiological functions of urinary ESA. Our biochemical and behavioral experiments suggest a three-fold role of ESA in pheromone signaling: (1) transporting Z7-12:Ac from serum into urine; (2) extending the presence of the pheromone in the environment without hampering detection; and (3) targeting pheromone delivery to chemosensory organs through localized release of the ligand induced by a pH change. The exploitation of albumin in pheromone transport clearly distinguishes the elephant from other mammals studied, and complements the uniqueness of elephant anatomy, physiology, and behavior.
Comment in
- Pheromone unwrapping by pH flip-flopping.
Leal WS. Leal WS. Chem Biol. 2004 Aug;11(8):1029-31. doi: 10.1016/j.chembiol.2004.08.001. Chem Biol. 2004. PMID: 15324801
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