Positive identification of the puberty-accelerating pheromone of the housemouse: the volatile ligands associating with the major urinary protein

Five structurally diverse small ligands, all binding to the major urinary p rotein (MUP) of the male house mouse, show individually puberty-acceleratin g pheromonal activity in the recipient females. A recombinant MUP (identica l structurally to the natural protein) has shown no biological activity Whi le four of these ligands were previously implicated in oestrus synchronizat ion (Whitten effect), the same chemosignals now appear responsible for both sexual maturation and cycling in adult females.