Jove
Visualize
Contact Us
JoVE
x logofacebook logolinkedin logoyoutube logo
ABOUT JoVE
OverviewLeadershipBlogJoVE Help Center
AUTHORS
Publishing ProcessEditorial BoardScope & PoliciesPeer ReviewFAQSubmit
LIBRARIANS
TestimonialsSubscriptionsAccessResourcesLibrary Advisory BoardFAQ
RESEARCH
JoVE JournalMethods CollectionsJoVE Encyclopedia of ExperimentsArchive
EDUCATION
JoVE CoreJoVE BusinessJoVE Science EducationJoVE Lab ManualFaculty Resource CenterFaculty Site
Terms & Conditions of Use
Privacy Policy
Policies

Related Experiment Videos

Elephant albumin: a multipurpose pheromone shuttle.

Josef Lazar1, L E L Rasmussen, David R Greenwood

  • 1Columbia University, Department of Biological Sciences, 1212 Amsterdam Avenue, New York, NY 10027, USA. jl2291@columbia.edu

Chemistry & Biology
|August 25, 2004
PubMed
Summary

Female Asian elephants use elephant serum albumin (ESA) to transport the sex pheromone (Z)-7-dodecenyl acetate (Z7-12:Ac) in urine. This protein extends pheromone presence and targets delivery to enhance reproductive signaling.

Related Concept Videos

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by
Same author

FLIPs: Genetically encoded molecular biosensors for functional imaging of cell signaling by linear dichroism microscopy.

Science advances·2026
Same author

A genetically encoded nanobody sensor reveals conformational diversity in β-arrestins orchestrated by distinct seven transmembrane receptors.

Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America·2025
Same author

Toward a Cenozoic history of atmospheric CO<sub>2</sub>.

Science (New York, N.Y.)·2023
Same author

Dynamics of transition dipole moment orientation in representative fluorescent proteins.

Physical chemistry chemical physics : PCCP·2023
Same author

Measuring translational research impact requires reaching beyond current metrics.

Science translational medicine·2023
Same author

Absolute frequencies of H<sup>13</sup>C<sup>14</sup>N hydrogen cyanide transitions in the 1.5-µm region with the saturated spectroscopy and a sub-kHz scanning laser.

Optics letters·2023

Area of Science:

  • Animal behavior
  • Biochemistry
  • Reproductive biology

Background:

  • The sex pheromone (Z)-7-dodecenyl acetate (Z7-12:Ac) is found in the urine of female Asian elephants (Elephas maximus) near ovulation.
  • This compound functions as a crucial female-to-male sex pheromone in elephant communication.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the role of proteins in the transport and function of the elephant sex pheromone (Z7-12:Ac).
  • To elucidate the physiological functions of urinary elephant serum albumin (ESA) in pheromone signaling.

Main Methods:

  • Biochemical assays were performed to analyze the binding of Z7-12:Ac to ESA.
  • Behavioral experiments were conducted to assess the impact of ESA-bound pheromone on male elephant responses.
  • pH-dependent release mechanisms were investigated to understand pheromone targeting.

Related Experiment Videos

Main Results:

  • A significant portion of urinary Z7-12:Ac is bound to elephant serum albumin (ESA).
  • ESA facilitates the transport of Z7-12:Ac from serum to urine.
  • ESA extends the environmental persistence of the pheromone and enables targeted delivery to olfactory receptors via pH-induced release.

Conclusions:

  • Elephant serum albumin plays a multifaceted role in pheromone signaling, distinct from mechanisms observed in other mammals.
  • The unique use of albumin for pheromone transport highlights the specialized reproductive strategies of Asian elephants.
  • This finding complements the understanding of unique elephant anatomy, physiology, and behavior in their reproductive ecology.