Variation in apical hook length reflects the intensity of sperm competition in murine rodents.

Background: Post-copulatory sexual selection has been shown to shape morphology of male gametes. Both directional and stabilizing selection on sperm phenotype have been documented in vertebrates in response to sexual promiscuity.

Methodology: Here we investigated the degree of variance in apical hook length and tail length in six taxa of murine rodents.

Novel OBP genes similar to hamster Aphrodisin in the bank vole, Myodes glareolus.

Background: Chemical communication in mammals involves globular lipocalins that protect and transport pheromones during their passage out of the body. Efficient communication via this protein - pheromone complex is essential for triggering multiple responses including aggression, mate choice, copulatory behaviour, and onset and synchronization of oestrus. The roles of lipocalins in communication were studied in many organisms and especially in mice (i.

The influence of fluorides on mouse sperm capacitation.

Increasing infertility, due to pathological changes on sperm, has become a serious issue. Eco-toxicological effect of rising concentration of fluorides can be enhanced in the presence of aluminium ions by forming fluorometallic complexes, analogues of phosphate groups that interfere with the activity of G-proteins and P-type ATPases, which are part of several signalling pathways during sperm maturation. In order for sperm to gain fertilizing ability, they must undergo in the female reproductive tract, capacitation that includes tyrosine phosphorylation and consequent actin polymerization.

Mitochondrial phylogeography of the moor frog, Rana arvalis.

The moor frog Rana arvalis is a lowland species with a broad Eurasiatic distribution, from arctic tundra through forest to the steppe zone. Its present-day range suggests that glacial refugia of this frog were located outside southern European peninsulas. We studied the species-wide phylogeographical pattern using sequence variation in a 682 base pairs fragment of mtDNA cytochrome b gene; 223 individuals from 73 localities were analysed.