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COLONY MARKERS. “The queen pheromone molecule(s) appeared in the gas chromatogram traces as constant peaks in all queens, overlaid on a complex colony odour background of cuticular hydrocarbons, highly variable between colonies. The candidate molecules could then be tested in bioassays to see if they reproduced the queen pheromone’s physiological effects on the workers of that species.” https://lnkd.in/drx5_4e View in LinkedIn

THE NEW OUTLIERS. “Some pheromones bypass the conventional chemosensory systems and instead act on receptors on other neurons or on cells in tissues themselves. These pheromones have been called allohormone pheromones because they act like hormones outside the sender’s body.” https://lnkd.in/drx5_4e View in LinkedIn

PARTIAL STORY. “In mammals, many receptors have not been matched to their ligands.” https://lnkd.in/drx5_4e View in LinkedIn

VARIETY OF RECEPTORS. “In mammals, which type of chemosensory receptors/olfactory sensory neuron has been coopted to detect the pheromone depends on the molecule: volatile pheromones may be detected by chemosensory neurons in either the main olfactory system or accessory olfactory system. Protein pheromones such as ESP1, ESP22, and darcin are likely detected exclusively by VR2 receptors of the vomeronasal system whereas sulphated steroid pheromones are detected by VR1 receptors. Important amines are detected by trace amine-associated receptors (TAARs).” https://lnkd.in/drx5_4e View in LinkedIn

CORRECT MIXTURES REQUIRED. “In male moths, interneurons will only initiate a behavioural response if the right combination of glomeruli are activated, indicating all pheromone components are present in the right ratios, and there are no pheromone molecules characteristic of other species.” View in LinkedIn

DETECTION BY CHEMORECEPTORS. “Across the animal kingdom, as a rule, pheromones are detected by chemoreceptors of the olfactory system(s). In both insects and vertebrates, olfactory sensory neurons which carry the same chemoreceptor converge on the same glomerulus.” https://lnkd.in/drx5_4e View in LinkedIn

REPRODUCTIVE ISOLATION. “During speciation, changes in sex pheromones commonly form one basis of pre-mating isolation. This may explain the chemosignal differences in major urinary proteins and androgen binding proteins in Mus musculus subspecies in hybrid zones.” https://lnkd.in/drx5_4e View in LinkedIn

ADAPTED FOR SITUATION. “Hyena anal gland secretions contain relatively involatile high molecular weight molecules for long lasting marks for territory marking. Underwater, pheromones can be small as the unusual amino acid L-kynurenine used by masu salmon as a female sex pheromone or as large as proteins, if charged and soluble. For example, the sex pheromones of the sea slug Aplysia are the proteins attractin, enticin, seductin, and temptin.” https://lnkd.in/drx5_4e View in LinkedIn

HUMAN PHEROMONES. “This ever interesting question remains unresolved. Sadly, though widely offered for sale, the putative human sex ‘pheromones’ androstadienone and estratetraenol (and androstenol and androstenone) have never been properly demonstrated to be pheromones. This has not stopped many studies claiming to show such effects, likely to be false positives since there are no reasons to even suspect these molecules are pheromones.” https://lnkd.in/drx5_4e View in LinkedIn

SEXUAL SURROGATES. “Plants too can use chemical trickery. Orchids have flowers that mimic the look and pheromones of a particular female bee or wasp species. The male insect attempts to mate, picks up a pollen package, and having been fooled once, is fooled again, delivering the package to a second orchid of the same species.” https://lnkd.in/drx5_4e View in LinkedIn