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Naked Mole Rat

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Cosmetic chemical IPM helps naked mole-rat queen suppress rivals and delay succession
science4 days ago

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
From Skin to Senses: Unraveling Pain, Pleasure, and Social Touch
science22 days ago

From Skin to Senses: Unraveling Pain, Pleasure, and Social Touch

Quanta Magazine's The Joy of Why interviews Columbia neuroscientist Ishmail Abdus-Saboor about how pain and touch arise from skin-brain circuitry, the molecular receptors that distinguish hot, cold, touch, and pain, how researchers infer animals' internal states, the ethics of animal research, and the naked mole rat's unique sociality and pain-insensitivity, along with cutting-edge tools like optogenetics and ongoing work to translate basic findings into therapies that target perception and emotion rather than sensation alone.

via Quanta Magazine|
#naked-mole-rat#neuroscience#pain
Queen's odor blocks rivals reproducing in naked mole-rat colonies
science1 month ago

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
Four mutations in naked mole-rat cGAS unlock enhanced DNA repair and longevity
science2 months ago

Four mutations in naked mole-rat cGAS unlock enhanced DNA repair and longevity

Scientists traced naked mole-rats’ exceptional lifespan to four amino acid changes in their version of the DNA-sensing protein cGAS. These substitutions prolong cGAS, shifting its interaction from suppressing to promoting homologous recombination with key repair proteins, leading to more efficient DNA repair and reduced aging-related damage. Experiments removing cGAS increased DNA damage in mole-rat cells, while introducing the four substitutions into fruit flies extended their lifespans, suggesting potential human longevity avenues—but the mole-rat’s longevity likely relies on multiple mechanisms, and translating this to humans remains uncertain and distant.

via Space Daily|
#aging#cgas#dna-repair
Peaceful queen succession observed in naked mole rats, challenging the species' bloody reputation
animals4 months ago

Peaceful queen succession observed in naked mole rats, challenging the species' bloody reputation

In a Science Advances study, researchers at the Salk Institute observed a rare peaceful transfer of power in a naked mole rat colony: after relocating the Amigos colony, the reigning queen Teré paused reproduction for almost a year, two of her daughters began reproducing in sequence, and Arwen ultimately became the new breeding queen by the end of 2025, showing that even highly eusocial mammals can exhibit flexible, nonviolent queen succession.

via Live Science|
#animals#eusocial#naked-mole-rat