Y Chromosome, Urinary Chemosignals, and an Agonistic Behavior (Offense) of Mice

Abstract

MONAHAN, E. J. AND S. C. MAXSON. Y chromosome, urinary chemosignals, and an agonistic behavior (offense) of mice. Physiol Behav 64(2) 123–132, 1998. In mice, offense is one type of agonistic behavior associated with attacks. Offense of male mice was measured in a panel of testers design. The mice were DBA1 (D1) and DBA1.C57BL10-Y (D1.B10-Y). These are congenic for the male-specific, nonrecombining part of the Y chromosome. For the behavioral experiments, urine from D1 or D1.B10-Y mice was daubed on gonadectomized opponents. The opponents were of two genotypes, D1 or D1.B10-Y. The experimental subjects were of the same two genotypes. There were main effects for strain of experimental subject and strain of urine donor as well as interactions for strain of experimental subject × strain of gonadectomized opponent, strain of gonadectomized opponent × strain of urine donor, and strain of experimental subject × strain of gonadectomized opponent × strain of urine donor. These findings are consistent with a model in which this part of the Y chromosome affects testosterone-dependent pheromones and non-testosterone-dependent odortypes acting as motivating stimuli, the olfactory perception of motivating stimuli for offense, and the motivational mechanism for offense.