Proteins elephant pheromones

The female elephant pheromone (Z)-7-dodecenyl acetate occurs bound to urinary proteins. When it is taken up by a male elephant, the acetate is bound to proteins of the trunk mucus. This might facilitate transport of the pheromone to the vicinity of the sensory epithelium of the vomeronasal organ (Rasmussen and Schulte, 1998). 

Not only is the structure of the sex pheromone identical in both moths and Asian elephants and its function similar, but the study of protein carriers promises to be equally fascinating. The delineation of postulated protein carriers for this acetate has the potential to provide similar evolutionary information about lipocalin-like urinary proteins and pheromone binding proteins. Insect pheromone binding proteins that bind Z7—12 Ac have a different amino acid composition and two-dimensional structure than vertebrate odorant binding proteins so far described, including major urinary proteins (Robertson, Cox, Gaskell, Evershed Beynon, 1996 Steinbrecht, 1996 Pelosi, 1994). 

In the wild or in outdoor elephant enclosures, components in preovulatory urine or test components added to nonestrous urine are subjected to potential degradation, hydrolysis, oxidation, and ultraviolet radiation. Compounds that bind to Z7—12 Ac not only could be carriers but also could reduce these degradative processes and thus could prolong the effective life of pheromones. Proteins are substances that potentially can bind to pheromones... 

Rasmussen, L.E.L., Lazar, J., Greenwood, D., Feng, L. Prestwich, G. 1998. Initial charcaterizations of secreted proteins from Asian elephants that bind the sex pheromone, Z-7-dodecenyl acetate. Association for Chemoreception Sciences, Sarasota, FL, April 25, 1998. 

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