Short-Term Enrichment Makes Male Rats More Attractive, More Defensive and Alters Hypothalamic Neurons

Innate behaviors are shaped by contingencies built during evolutionary history. On the other hand, environmental stimuli play a significant role in shaping behavior. In particular, a short period of environmental enrichment can enhance cognitive behavior, modify effects of stress on learned behaviors and induce brain plasticity. It is unclear if modulation by environment can extend to innate behaviors which are preserved by intense selection pressure. In the present report we investigate this issue by studying effects of relatively short (14-days) environmental enrichment on two prominent innate behaviors in rats, avoidance of predator odors and ability of males to attract mates. We show that enrichment has strong effects on both the innate behaviors: a) enriched males were more avoidant of a predator odor than non-enriched controls, and had a greater rise in corticosterone levels in response to the odor; and b) had higher testosterone levels and were more attractive to females. Additionally, we demonstrate decrease in dendritic length of neurons of ventrolateral nucleus of hypothalamus, important for reproductive mate-choice and increase in the same in dorsomedial nucleus, important for defensive behavior. Thus, behavioral and hormonal observations provide evidence that a short period of environmental manipulation can alter innate behaviors, providing a good example of gene-environment interaction

Identification of α-2u globulin in the rat preputial gland by MALDI-TOF analysis

319-322The low molecular mass proteins found in the pheromonal sources such as urine, saliva, glandular secretion etc have been reported as ligand carriers for the processes of chemo-communication in mammals. The preputial gland plays an important role in the production of olfactory signals for pheromonal communication. Thus, in the present study, α-2u globulin having molecular mass of 18 kDa has been identified in the preputial gland of Norway rat (Rattus norvegicus) by in-gel trypsin digestion and analyzing the resulting peptides by MALDI-TOF. Since preputial gland is one of the major pheromonal sources in rat, the results suggest that α-2u globulin might act as a carrier for hydrophobic odorants of preputial gland

<span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family: "Times New Roman";mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";mso-bidi-font-family: Mangal;mso-ansi-language:EN-GB;mso-fareast-language:EN-US;mso-bidi-language: HI" lang="EN-GB">Identification of pheromone-carrying protein in the preorbital gland post in the endangered Indian male Blackbuck <i>Antelope cervicapra </i>L.</span>

771-778In mammals, a low molecular mass protein (17-20 KDa) reported from the pheromone sources such as urine, saliva, glandular secretion, etc., as ligand-carrier (pheromone carrier) has been associated with chemo-communication. Since the preorbital gland post is one of the major pheromone sources in Indian Blackbuck, an endangered species, we assumed thta it possibly contains low molecular mass protein for chemical communication. Hence, we investigat<span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-IN">ed the preorbital gland post in territorial and non-territorial male blackbucks for such low molecular mass proteins adopting SDS-PAGE and LC-MS/MS analysis. The total content of protein was higher in the post of territorial males than non-territorial males of adult and sub-adult. In fact, the protein profiles such as 17, 21, 25, 42 and 61 kDa were noted in the gland secretion of territorial and non-territorial males. The intensity of the 17 kDa protein band was higher in territorial males than non-territorial males. In-gel trypsin digestion of the 17 kDa band was processed and subjected to LC-MS/MS and SEQUEST analyses. The results of LC-MS/MS and SEQUEST search showed the presence of α2u-globulin in the 17 kDa band. In addition, the identified α2u-globulin sequence possessed GDW residues, which are <span style="mso-fareast-font-family:TimesNewRoman; mso-ansi-language:EN-IN">the characteristic signature for lipocalin family. Since the α2u-globulin has been reported from the pheromone-carrying proteins in some mammals, this protein may carry the volatiles (pheromone compounds) in male Blackbucks preorbital gland to evoke the scent marking for maintaining territoriality (home range) and attraction towards female, through the secretion of glandular protein. </span

Isolation and characterization of cholesterol degrading bacteria from soap and vegetable oil industrial waste

508-513The cholesterol degrading bacteria were isolated and characterized from the soap and vegetable oil industrial wastes. Fifteen strains were isolated by the primary screening. Among the fifteen, only three strains were identified as cholesterol oxidase enzyme producers. The morphological and biochemical characters revealed that the isolated microorganisms were Pseudomonas sp., Bacillus sp. and <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal">Sterptomyces sp. The isolated microorganisms were grown in a cholesterol medium and their degrading potency of cholesterol was determined by TLC, FTIR and HPLC. The cholesterol oxidase (CHO) extracted from the isolates was partially purified and the molecular mass was determined to be about 55-60 kDa. The optimum pH and temperature for CHO activity of the three isolates was evaluated. The present study revealed that the isolates (Pseudomonas sp., Bacillus sp. and <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal">Streptomyces sp.) isolated from the industrial wastes had good cholesterol degrading potential and would be considered as good source of CHO for important medical applications