Expressed vomeronasal type-1 receptors (V1rs) in bats uncover conserved mechanisms of social chemical signaling

摘要: In mammals, social and reproductive behaviors are mediated by chemical cues encoded hyperdiverse families of receptors expressed in the vomeronasal organ. Between species, number intact can vary orders magnitude. However, evolutionary processes behind variation receptor number, also its link to fitness-related not well understood. From transcriptomes, we discovered first evidence type-1 ( V1r ) genes bats, tested whether putatively functional bat were orthologous those related taxa, or bats have evolved novel receptors. We found that s show high levels orthology their relatives, as opposed lineage-specific duplications, under purifying selection. Despite widespread organ loss copies been retained for >65 million years. The highly conserved nature challenges our current understanding mammalian function suggest roles other than conspecific recognition mating initiation behavior.