Abstract

Many social behaviors in mice, such as aggression, mating and territory marking, are mediated by the major urinary proteins (MUPs) present in their urine. While the mouse genome codes for 21 MUPs, any given male mouse only expresses a subset of these proteins at a defined concentration. Mice are able to detect the identity and concentration of the MUPs they encounter, and as such, these proteins appear to act as an “individuality signal.” However, how a unique subset of MUPs is chosen for expression remains largely unknown. This study focuses on the control of gene expression of the 21 MUP genes, consisting of the highly similar “central” MUPs and the variable, divergent “peripheral” MUPs. In an effort to understand the mechanisms controlling MUP choice and expression, this study explored the role that testosterone, dihydrotestosterone, and growth hormone treatments play in mediating MUP expression in the model system of AML12 male hepatocytes. Utilizing RNA isolation, cDNA synthesis, and Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR), it was found that treatment with these hormones was insufficient to induce MUP expression. Analysis of mouse growth hormone receptor (mGHR) expression in hormone treated cells indicate that mGHR is actively being expressed in the cell line. In addition, analysis of mouse androgen receptor (mAR) expression in the AML12 cell line indicate that mAR is not being actively expressed. Methylation inhibition treatments were also performed using 5-aza-2'-deoxycytidine (DAC). The DAC treatments suggest that solely inhibiting methylation is not sufficient to induce MUP expression. Because of their complex expression patterns, the MUP gene family serves as a good model system for the study of long standing molecular biology questions regarding mechanisms that control gene expression.

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