Buffalo nasal odorant-binding protein (bunOBP) and its structural evaluation with putative pheromones

Area of Science:

• Animal Behavior
• Biochemistry
• Molecular Biology

Background:

• Pheromones are crucial for animal communication and social behavior regulation.
• Odorant-Binding Proteins (OBPs) transport airborne odorants to nasal receptors.
• Nasal OBPs are documented in mammals, but their presence in buffalo was unconfirmed.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the presence of OBP in buffalo nasal mucus.
• To characterize the identified buffalo nasal OBP (bunOBP).
• To assess the binding capabilities of bunOBP with buffalo pheromones and other chemical cues.

Main Methods:

• Gel electrophoresis (1D and 2D) to detect OBP in nasal mucus.
• Mass spectrometry for OBP identification and confirmation.
• In silico homology modeling, molecular docking, and dynamics simulations for structural and binding analysis.

Main Results:

• The study confirmed the presence of OBP in buffalo nasal mucus.
• A homology model of buffalo nasal OBP (bunOBP) was generated, showing structural similarity to other mammalian OBPs.
• Molecular simulations demonstrated bunOBP's efficiency in binding buffalo pheromones and other chemical cues.

Conclusions:

• This study reports the first evidence of nasal OBP in buffalo and its role in odor binding.
• The identified bunOBP shows potential for binding pheromones and other volatile cues.
• bunOBP's association with estrus-specific volatiles suggests a potential for non-invasive estrus detection in buffaloes.