Vasopressin is a neurotransmitter that synapses on V1a receptors in the brain that provide the prairie vole (PV) with positive feedback for its monogamous mating behavior. This V1a receptor is encoded by the avpr1a gene, which contains more DNA material in the PV than in the meadow vole and might account for more abundant V1a receptors in the prairie vole brain. In order to test this hypothesis, the researchers inserted extra copies of the avpr1a gene into male PVs to see if more V1a receptors were produced. The male PV with extra receptors did form stronger relationships with females, even if they had not previously mated with them proving this genes significance in PV monogamy
Recent comments