Muscone-specific olfactory protein MjavOBP3 identified as the putative scent-marking pheromone in the Sunda pangolin (Manis javanica).

ABSTRACT: Pangolins are mammals of important conservation interest, as only eight extant species remain globally and all are considered to be at risk of extinction. The Sunda pangolin (Manis javanica) is a burrowing and nocturnal animal with poor vision, thus intraspecies communication such as mating, warning, and scent-marking relies on olfaction. The specific pheromone involved in intraspecies communication in pangolins remains unknown. In this study, all odorant-binding proteins in Sunda pangolins are functionally expressed and screened against a panel of 32 volatiles that derived from the pangolin urine, feces, and anal gland secretions. Using reverse chemical ecology, we reveal that M. javanica odorant-binding protein 3 (MjavOBP3) possesses the highest binding affinity to muscone. We also apply

SUBMITTER: Yu Z 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC11947183 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Mar

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature