Mouse urinary peptides provide a molecular basis for genotype discrimination by nasal sensory neurons

Theo Sturm, Trese Leinders-Zufall, Boris Maček, Mathias Walzer, Stephan Jung, Beate Pömmerl, Stefan Stevanović, Frank Zufall, Peter Overath and Hans-Georg Rammensee ()
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Theo Sturm: Institute for Cell Biology, University of Tübingen
Trese Leinders-Zufall: University of Saarland, School of Medicine
Boris Maček: Proteome Center Tuebingen, Institute for Cell Biology, University of Tübingen
Mathias Walzer: Institute for Cell Biology, University of Tübingen
Stephan Jung: Proteome Center Tuebingen, Institute for Cell Biology, University of Tübingen
Beate Pömmerl: Institute for Cell Biology, University of Tübingen
Stefan Stevanović: Institute for Cell Biology, University of Tübingen
Frank Zufall: University of Saarland, School of Medicine
Peter Overath: Institute for Cell Biology, University of Tübingen
Hans-Georg Rammensee: Institute for Cell Biology, University of Tübingen

Nature Communications, 2013, vol. 4, issue 1, 1-10

Abstract: Abstract Selected groups of peptides, including those that are presented by major histocompatibility complex (MHC) proteins, have been proposed to transmit information to the olfactory system of vertebrates via their ability to stimulate chemosensory neurons. However, the lack of knowledge about such peptides in natural sources accessible for nasal recognition has been a major barrier for this hypothesis. Here we analyse urinary peptides from selected mouse strains with respect to genotype-related individual differences. We discover many abundant peptides with single amino-acid variations corresponding to genomic differences. The polymorphism of major urinary proteins is reflected by variations in prominent urinary peptides. We also demonstrate an MHC-dependent peptide (SIINFEKL) occurring at very low concentrations in mouse urine. Chemoreceptive neurons in the vomeronasal organ detect and discriminate single amino-acid variation peptides as well as SIINFEKL. Hence, urinary peptides represent a real-time sampling of the expressed genome available for chemosensory assessment by other individuals.

Date: 2013
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DOI: 10.1038/ncomms2610

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