Feather chemicals contain information about the major histocompatibility complex in a highly scented seabird.

ABSTRACT: Mate choice informed by the immune genes of the major histocompatibility complex (MHC) may provide fitness benefits including offspring with increased immunocompetence. Olfactory cues are considered the primary mechanism organisms use to evaluate the MHC of potential mates, yet this idea has received limited attention in birds. Motivated by a finding of MHC-dependent mate choice in the Leach's storm-petrel (Oceanodroma leucorhoa), we examined whether the chemical profiles of this highly scented seabird contain information about MHC genes. Whereas previous studies in birds examined non-volatile compounds, we used gas chromatography-mass spectrometry to measure the volatile compounds emitted from feathers that potentially serve as olfactory infochemicals about MHC and coupled this wit

SUBMITTER: Jennings SL 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC9130785 | biostudies-literature | 2022 May

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature