Chemical ecology in anurans: characterization of volatile compounds and peptide pheromones from the skin secretions of frogs
| Grant number: | 14/20915-6 |
| Support type: | Scholarships in Brazil - Post-Doctorate |
| Effective date (Start): | July 01, 2015 |
| Effective date (End): | January 01, 2019 |
| Field of knowledge: | Biological Sciences - Zoology |
| Cooperation agreement: | Coordination of Improvement of Higher Education Personnel (CAPES) |
| Principal Investigator: | Norberto Peporine Lopes |
| Grantee: | Andrés Eduardo Brunetti |
| Home Institution: | Faculdade de Ciências Farmacêuticas de Ribeirão Preto (FCFRP). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). Ribeirão Preto , SP, Brazil |
| Associated research grant: | 13/50741-7 - Diversity and conservation of Brazilian amphibians, AP.BTA.TEM |
| Associated scholarship(s): | 17/23725-1 - Genomic analysis of skin symbiotic bacteria in frogs as potential source of volatile compounds, BE.EP.PD |
Abstract Biochemical studies from the skin secretions of anurans describe an extraordinary diversity of bioactive compounds, whereas some of them have suggested that chemical communication may have important roles in the reproductive biology of some species. Although there are reports in literature commenting the occurrence of volatile secretions emitted under stress conditions, as well as the existence of volatile and peptide pheromones, only a few works have identified chemical compounds capable of acting as chemical signals. Also, males of several species possess sexually dimorphic skin glands (SDSGs), a possible source of pheromones. The present project aimed to characterize the volatile secretions and to identified the components of SDSGs in species of the tribe Cophomantini (Anura: Hylidae: Hylinae), considering the occurrence of this type of compounds and the presence of SDSGs in several species of this tribe. From the analysis of volatile compounds is expected: (1) to obtain information of the chemical structure and structural diversity of the molecules responsible of the smell, and (2) to determine the biochemical origin of compounds. From the analysis of secretions from SDSGs is expected to identified and characterize the structure of peptides occurring exclusively in males. The results obtained from this project will be an important contribution to the knowledge of the diversity of volatile compounds and of sexual pheromones in anurans, whereas may provide useful information for future researches in the field of chemical communication of this group of animals (AU) | |
| Articles published in Agência FAPESP about the scholarship:Bacteria may help frogs attract mates | |