Semiochemistry

On catnip and mosquitoes - solving an evolutionary puzzle

Reiko Uenoyama, Tamako Miyazaki, Jane L. Hurst, eRobert J. Beynon, Masaatsu Adachi, Takanobu Murooka, Ibuki Onoda, eYu Miyazawa, Rieko Katayama, Tetsuro Yamashita, Shuji Kaneko, Toshio Nishikawa and Masao Miyazaki (2021) The characteristic response of domestic cats to plant iridoids allows them to gain chemical defense against mosquitoes [PDF] [PUBMED] [DOI] [Abstract...]

Darcin and the neural circuits it activates

Ebru Demir, Kenneth Li, Natasha Bobrowski-Khoury, Joshua I Sanders, Robert J Beynon, Jane L Hurst, Adam Kepecs, Richard Axel (2020) The pheromone darcin drives a circuit for innate and reinforced behaviours [PDF] [PUBMED] [DOI] [Abstract...]

Detailed protein analysis of the rat MUP complex

Guadalupe Gómez-Baena, Stuart D. Armstrong, Josiah O. Halstead, Mark Prescott, Sarah A. Roberts, Lynn McLean, Jonathan M. Mudge, Jane L. Hurst & Robert J. Beynon (2019) Molecular complexity of the major urinary protein system of the Norway rat, Rattus norvegicus. [PDF] [PUBMED] [Abstract...]

MUPs shape the volatile odours of mice

Roberts SA, Prescott MC, Davidson AJ, McLean L, Beynon RJ, Hurst JL. (2018) Individual odour signatures that mice learn are shaped by involatile major urinary proteins (MUPs). [PUBMED] [PDF] [Abstract...]

Challenging the 'MHC' hypothesis

Green JP, Holmes AM, Davidson AJ, Paterson S, Stockley P, Beynon RJ, Hurst JL. (2015) The Genetic Basis of Kin Recognition in a Cooperatively Breeding Mammal. [PUBMED][PDF] [Abstract...]

Pheromones and contextual information.

Martín-Sanchez A, McLean L, Beynon RL, Hurst JL, Ayala G, Lanuza E, Martinez-Garcia F. (2015) . From sexual attraction to maternal aggression: When pheromones change their behavioural significance. [PUBMED][PDF] [Abstract...]

MUP complexity and analytical challenges

Beynon RJ, Armstrong SD, Gómez-Baena G, Lee V, Simpson D, Unsworth J, Hurst JL. (2014) The complexity of protein semiochemistry in mammals. [PUBMED][PDF] [Abstract...]

Sex pheromones are not aways attractive

Lanuza, E., Martin-Sanchez, A., Marco-Manclus, P., Cadiz-Moretti, B., Fortes-Marcw, L., Henandez-Martinez, A., Mclean, L., Beynon, R.J., Hurst, J.L. & Martinz-Garcia, F (2014) Sex pheromones are not always attractive: changes induced by learning and illness in mice. [PDF]
[Abstract...]

Darcin three dimensional structure solved!

Phelan, M.M., McLean, L., Armstrong, S.D., Hurst, J.L., Beynon, R.J. & Lian, L-Y. (2014) The structure, stability and pheromone binding of the male mouse protein sex pheromone darcin. [PUBMED][PDF] [Abstract...]

Structural comparison of central and peripheral mouse MUPs

Phelan MM, McLean L, Hurst JL, Beynon RJ, Lian LY. (2014) Comparative study of the molecular variation between 'central' and 'peripheral' MUPs and significance for behavioural signalling. [PUBMED][PDF]
[Abstract...]

Rats have MUPs too - but different!

Gómez-Baena G, Armstrong SD, Phelan MM, Hurst JL, Beynon RJ. (2014). The major urinary protein system in the rat. [PUBMED][PDF] [Abstract...]

Romeo, Romeo, 'whiff'-fore art thou, Romeo?

Sarah A. Roberts, Amanda J. Davidson, Lynn McLean, Robert J. Beynon, Jane L. Hurst (2012) Pheromonal Induction of Spatial Learning in Mice. [PUBMED] [PDF] [Abstract...]

Contact with urinary proteins stimulates countermarking in male mice

Humphries, R. E., Robertson, D. H., Beynon, R. J. & Hurst, J. L. (1999). Unravelling the chemical basis of competitive scent marking in house mice. Anim Behav 58, 1177-1190. [PUBMED] [PDF] [Abstract...]

Inbreeding compromises competitor recognition

Nevison, C.M., Barnard, C.J., Beynon, R.J. & Hurst, J.L. (2000) The consequences of inbreeding for recognizing competitors. Proceedings of the Royal Society 267, 687-694. [PUBMED] [PDF] [Abstract...]

Individual recognition through MUPs

Hurst, J. L., Payne, C. E., Nevison, C. M., Marie, A. D., Humphries, R. E., Robertson, D. H., Cavaggioni, A. & Beynon, R. J. (2001). Individual recognition in mice mediated by major urinary proteins. Nature 414, 631-634. [PUBMED] [PDF] [Abstract...]

MUP ligand binding

Robertson, D.H.L., Marie, A.D., Veggerby, C., Hurst, J.L. & Beynon, R.J. (2001) Characteristics of ligand binding and release by major urinary proteins. . In: Chemical Signals in Vertebrates (Ed. A. Marchlewska-Koj, D. Muller-Schwarze & J. Lepri) pp169-176. Plenum Press, New York. [Abstract...]

Inbreeding and individual recognition

Nevison, C.M., Barnard, C.J., Beynon, R.J. & Hurst, J.L. (2001) Effects of inbreeding and social status on individual recognition in mice. . In: Chemical Signals in Vertebrates (Ed. A. Marchlewska-Koj, D. Muller-Schwarze & J. Lepri) pp225-232. Plenum Press, New York. [Abstract...]

Social status and mate choice

Malone, N., Payne, C.E., Beynon, R.J. & Hurst, J.L. (2001) Social status, odour communication and mate choice in wild house mice. . In: Chemical Signals in Vertebrates (Ed. A. Marchlewska-Koj, D. Muller-Schwarze & J. Lepri) pp217-224. Plenum Press, New York. [Abstract...]

MUPs and competitive scent marking

Humphries, R.E., Robertson, D.H.L., Nevison, C.M, Beynon, R.J. & Hurst, J.L. (2001) The role of urinary proteins and volatiles in competitive scent marking among male house mice. . In: Chemical Signals in Vertebrates (Ed. A. Marchlewska-Koj, D. Muller-Schwarze & J. Lepri) pp353-360. Plenum Press, New York. [Abstract...]

Scent signals of status

Hurst, J.L., Beynon, R.J., Humphries, R.E., Malone, N., Nevison, C.M., Payne, C.E., Robertson, D.H.L. & Veggerby, C. (2001) Information in scent signals of status: the interface between behaviour and chemistry. . In: Chemical Signals in Vertebrates (Ed. A. Marchlewska-Koj, D. Muller-Schwarze & J. Lepri) pp43-50. Plenum Press, New York. [Abstract...]

MUP polymorphic variants

Veggerby, C., Payne, C.E., Gaskell, S.J., Robertson, D.H.L., Hurst, J.L. & Beynon, R.J. (2001) Polymorphic variants of mouse majory urinary proteins. . In: Chemical Signals in Vertebrates (Ed. A. Marchlewska-Koj, D. Muller-Schwarze & J. Lepri) pp157-168. Plenum Press, New York. [Abstract...]

Involatile ownership signals in mouse scent marks

Nevison, C.M., Armstrong, S.; Beynon, R.J. Humphries, R.E. & Hurst, J.L. (2003) The ownership signature in mouse scents marks is involatile. Proceedings of the Royal Society series B, 270, 1957-1963 [PUBMED] [PDF] [Abstract...]

MUPs play multiple roles in mouse communication

Beynon, R.J. & Hurst, J.L. (2003) Multiple roles of major urinary proteins in the house mouse, Mus musculus. Biochemical Journal Transactions, 31, 142-146 [PUBMED] [PDF] [Abstract...]

Review of rodent urinary lipocalins

Beynon, R.J. & Hurst, J.L. (2004) Urinary proteins and the modulation of chemical scents in mice and rats. Peptides 25(9):1553-1563 [PUBMED] [PDF] [Abstract...]

Scent wars

Hurst, J.L. & Beynon, R.J. (2004) Scent Wars: The chemobiology of competitive signaling in mice. BioEssays 26, 1288-1298 [PUBMED] [PDF] [Abstract...]

MHC is not involved in individual recognition

Hurst J. L., Thom M. D., Nevison C. M., Humphries R. E., Beynon R. J (2005) MHC odours are not required or sufficient for recognition of individual scent owners. Proc Biol Sci. 272, 715-724 [PUBMED] [PDF] [Abstract...]

Scent exposure influences competitive behaviour in lab mice

Lacey, J.C. Beynon, R.J. & Hurst, J.L. (2007) The importance of exposure to other male scents in determining competitive behaviour among inbred male mice. Applied Animal Behaviour Science 104, 130-142 [PDF] [Abstract...]

The avoidance of inbreeding

Nominated in Faculty of 1000 by Etienne Joly. Sherborne AL, Thom MD, Paterson S, Jury F, Ollier WE, Stockley P, Beynon RJ, Hurst JL. (2007) The genetic basis of inbreeding avoidance in house mice. Curr. Biol. 17, 2061-2066.[PUBMED][PDF] [Abstract...]

Cauxin in big cat urine

McLean, L., Hurst, J.L., Gaskell, C.J., Lewis, J. C. M & Beynon, R.J. (2007) Characterization of Cauxin in the Urine of Domestic and Big Cats (2007) J. Chem. Ecol 3, 1997-2009 [PUBMED][PDF] [Abstract...]

MUPs in individual recognition

Nominated in Faculty of 1000 by Etienne Joly. Cheetham SA, Thom MD, Jury F, Ollier WE, Beynon RJ, Hurst JL. (2007) The genetic basis of individual-recognition signals in the mouse. Curr. Biol. 17, 1771-1777.[PUBMED][PDF] [Abstract...]

Significance of animal scents in behaviour

Lacey JC, Beynon RJ, Hurst JL (2007) The importance of exposure to other male scents in determining competitive behaviour among inbred male mice. App Animal Behav Sci 104, 130-142. [PUBMED][PDF] [Abstract...]

MUPs in an aboriginal mouse

 Robertson, D.H.L., Hurst, J.L., Searle, J.B., Gunduz, I. & Beynon, R.J. (2007) Characterization and Comparison of Major Urinary Proteins from the House Mouse, Mus musculus domesticus, and the Aboriginal Mouse, Mus macedonicus. J. Chem. Ecol. 33, 613-630.[PUBMED][PDF] [Abstract...]

FTICR resolution of similar mass proteins

Robertson DH, Wong SC, Beynon RJ, Hurst JL, Gaskell SJ. (2008) Observation of heterogeneous gene products by FT-ICR MS. J. Am. Soc. Mass Spectrom. 19, 103-110. [PUBMED][PDF] [Abstract...]

MUPs and MHC in mate choice

Thom, MD , Stockley, P, Beynon, RJ & Hurst, JL (2008) Scent, mate choice and genetic heterozygosity Chemical Signals in Vertebrates 11, 291-301 [PDF] [Abstract...]

Urinary lipocalins

Beynon, RJ, Hurst, JL, Turton, MJ , Robertson, DHL , Armstrong, SD, Cheetham, SA, Simpson, D, MacNicoll, A, Humphries, RE  (2008) Urinary lipocalins in rodenta: is there a generic model? Chemical Signals in Vertebrates 11, 37-49 [PDF] [Abstract...]

Familiarity breeds...?

Cheetham, SA , Thom, MD, Beynon, RJ & Hurst, JL (2008) The effect of familiarity on mate choice.  Chemical Signals in Vertebrates 11, 271-280 [PDF] [Abstract...]

MUPs advertise heterozyygosity and fitness

Nominated in Faculty of 1000 by Gabrielle Sorci.
Thom MD, Stockley P, Jury F, Ollier WE, Beynon RJ, Hurst JL. (2008) The direct assessment of genetic heterozygosity through scent in the mouse. Curr Biol. 18, 619-623.[PUBMED][PDF] [Abstract...]

First paper on a systematic analysis of MUP expression

Mudge JM, Armstrong SD, McLaren K, Beynon RJ, Hurst JL, Nicholson C, Robertson DH, Wilming LG, Harrow JL. (2008) Dynamic instability of the major urinary protein gene family revealed by genomic and phenotypic comparisons between C57 and 129 strain mice. [PUBMED][PDF] [Abstract...]

Mechanisms of kin recognition

Hurst JL, Beynon RJ. (2010) J Biol. 2010;9(2):13. Making progress in genetic kin recognition among vertebrates. [PUBMED][PDF] [Abstract...]

MUP variation in lab mouse strains

Cheetham SA, Smith AL, Armstrong SD, Beynon RJ, Hurst JL. (2009) Limited variation in the major urinary proteins of laboratory mice. Physiol Behav. 96, 253-261 [PUBMED][PDF] [Abstract...]

It is a truth, universally acknowledged, that a mouse in possession of darcin must be in want of a mate.

Nominated as 'Exceptional' by Etienne Joly in Faculty1000 Biology (http://f1000biology.com)
Roberts SA, Simpson, Armstrong, Davidson, Robertson, McLean, Beynon & Hurst JL (2010) Darcin: a male pheromone that stimulates female memory and sexual attraction to an individual male's odour. BMC Biology 8:75. [PUBMED][PDF] [Abstract...]