Dataset Information

Central role of G protein G?i2 and G?i2⁺ vomeronasal neurons in balancing territorial and infant-directed aggression of male mice.

ABSTRACT: Aggression is controlled by the olfactory system in many animal species. In male mice, territorial and infant-directed aggression are tightly regulated by the vomeronasal organ (VNO), but how diverse subsets of sensory neurons convey pheromonal information to limbic centers is not yet known. Here, we employ genetic strategies to show that mouse vomeronasal sensory neurons expressing the G protein subunit G?i2 regulate male-male and infant-directed aggression through distinct circuit mechanisms. Conditional ablation of G?i2 enhances male-male aggression and increases neural activity in the medial amygdala (MeA), bed nucleus of the stria terminalis, and lateral septum. By contrast, conditional G?i2 ablation causes reduced infant-directed aggression and decreased activity in MeA neurons during male-infant interactions. Strikingly, these mice also display enhanced parental behavior and elevated neural activity in the medial preoptic area, whereas sexual behavior remains normal. These results identify G?i2 as the primary G protein ?-subunit mediating the detection of volatile chemosignals in the apical layer of the VNO, and they show that G?i2⁺ VSNs and the brain circuits activated by these neurons play a central role in orchestrating and balancing territorial and infant-directed aggression of male mice through bidirectional activation and inhibition of different targets in the limbic system.

SUBMITTER: Trouillet AC

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6421405 | biostudies-literature | 2019 Mar

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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Central role of G protein Gαi2 and Gαi2<sup>+</sup> vomeronasal neurons in balancing territorial and infant-directed aggression of male mice.

Trouillet Anne-Charlotte AC Keller Matthieu M Weiss Jan J Leinders-Zufall Trese T Birnbaumer Lutz L Zufall Frank F Chamero Pablo P

Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America 20190225 11

Aggression is controlled by the olfactory system in many animal species. In male mice, territorial and infant-directed aggression are tightly regulated by the vomeronasal organ (VNO), but how diverse subsets of sensory neurons convey pheromonal information to limbic centers is not yet known. Here, we employ genetic strategies to show that mouse vomeronasal sensory neurons expressing the G protein subunit Gαi2 regulate male-male and infant-directed aggression through distinct circuit mechanisms. ...[more]

PMID: 30804203

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Project description:Population density has profound influences on the physiology and behaviour of many animal species. Social isolation is generally reported to lead to increased aggressiveness, while grouping lowers it. We evaluated the effects of varying degrees of isolation and grouping on aggression in a territorial insect, the Mediterranean field cricket, Gryllus bimaculatus. Substantiating early observations, we show that dyadic contests between weight-matched, adult male crickets taken from groups rarely escalate beyond threat displays, whereas interactions between pairs of previously isolated crickets typically escalate to physical fights lasting several seconds. No significant differences were found between 1, 2 and 6-day isolates, or between individuals grouped for a few hours or lifelong. Unexpectedly, crickets grouped in immediate proximity within individual mesh cages that precluded fighting while permitting visual, olfactory and mechanical, antennal contact, were as aggressive as free isolates. This suggests that reduced aggression of grouped animals may be an acquired result of fighting. Supporting this notion, isolated crickets initially engage in vigorous fights when first grouped, but fighting intensity and duration rapidly decline to the level of life-long grouped crickets within only 10 min. Furthermore, grouped crickets become as aggressive as life-long isolates after only 3 hours of isolation, and on the same time course required for crickets to regain their aggressiveness after social defeat. We conclude that the reduced aggressiveness of grouped crickets is a manifestation of the loser effect resulting from social subjugation, while isolation allows recovery to a state of heightened aggressiveness, which in crickets can be considered as the default condition. Given the widespread occurrence of the loser effect in the Animal Kingdom, many effects generally attributed to social isolation are likely to be a consequence of recovery from social subjugation.

Dataset Information

Central role of G protein G?i2 and G?i2⁺ vomeronasal neurons in balancing territorial and infant-directed aggression of male mice.

Publications

Central role of G protein Gαi2 and Gαi2<sup>+</sup> vomeronasal neurons in balancing territorial and infant-directed aggression of male mice.

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Dataset Information

Central role of G protein G?i2 and G?i2+ vomeronasal neurons in balancing territorial and infant-directed aggression of male mice.

Publications

Central role of G protein Gαi2 and Gαi2<sup>+</sup> vomeronasal neurons in balancing territorial and infant-directed aggression of male mice.

Similar Datasets

OmicsDI is part of the ELIXIR infrastructure

Tweets

Central role of G protein G?i2 and G?i2⁺ vomeronasal neurons in balancing territorial and infant-directed aggression of male mice.