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Isopropyl Myristate

All articles tagged with #isopropyl myristate

science10 days ago•12 min saved

Cosmetic chemical IPM helps naked mole-rat queen suppress rivals and delay succession

Nature researchers identify isopropyl myristate (IPM), a chemical used in skincare, as a queen-enriched signal in naked mole-rats that raises prolactin and suppresses fertility in non-breeders, delaying queen succession. Experiments show IPM exposure or continuing queen odor halt pregnancies and maintain colony stability even after removing the queen, though the study covers a single captive colony and replication is needed to confirm universality.

via Space Daily|

#eusociality #isopropyl-myristate #naked-mole-rat

science1 month ago•7 min saved

A Smell That Rules: Naked Mole-Rats Stay Peaceful Under the Queen's Scent

Nature’s study shows naked mole-rat colonies are steered by a queen-derived chemical signal, isopropyl myristate (IPM), which suppresses reproduction in non-breeders and keeps the colony peaceful. IPM lingers in tunnels, activates olfactory circuits, and shifts hormones to maintain social order—acting much like queen pheromones in bees and ants. Dosing colonies with IPM kept queenless groups peaceful for months, while stopping the chemical led to conflict and a new queen’s rise, revealing a mammalian chemical mechanism for social control.

via ScienceAlert|

#eusociality #isopropyl-myristate #naked-mole-rats

science1 month ago•8 min saved

One Queen's Odor Regulates Reproduction in Naked Mole Rats

Naked mole-rat queens secrete isopropyl myristate, a stable odor that suppresses fertility in non-breeding females and, even when the queen is absent, can keep colonies from breeding or mounting coups, showing a simple chemical mechanism behind their insect-like eusocial hierarchy.

via Ars Technica|

#eusociality #fertility-suppression #isopropyl-myristate

science1 month ago•5 min saved

Queen's odor blocks rivals reproducing in naked mole-rat colonies

A Nature study shows naked mole-rat queens emit isopropyl myristate (IPM), a scent that suppresses reproduction in non-breeding females by altering prolactin; IPM exposure activates olfactory neurons, and experiments that block smell or pair non-breeding females with males reduce prolactin and enable mating. IPM alone can maintain the colony’s single-queen structure even without a queen, explaining how this eusocial mammal keeps one reproductive leader.

via Nature|

#chemical-signaling #eusocial #isopropyl-myristate

science1 month ago•72 min saved

Queen’s scent rules the nest: a single chemical governs reproductive suppression in naked mole-rats

Researchers identify isopropyl myristate as a queen-derived chemical cue in naked mole-rats that modulates social hierarchy by suppressing reproduction in non-breeders, via olfactory detection and hormonal changes; the compound is enriched in queens and can prevent queen replacement, with related signals found in Fukomys species, highlighting a chemical mechanism linking mammalian eusociality to insect models.

via Nature|

#eusociality #isopropyl-myristate #naked-mole-rats