In order to understand how sensory information, especially pheromone information is encoded in the nervous system, we have developed a number of genetic techniques to alter neural activity, including knock in, knock out and ectopic transgenics. To evaluate the effects of these genetic manipulations on the perception of the animals, we also developed behavioral paradigm to assay changes in innate behaviors. These include mating and aggression assay, urine marking and ultrasound emission.
These assays revealed striking changes in innate behaviors when the detection of pheromones is altered. For example, knock out of Trp2 channels leads to an dramatic increase in male-male mounting by the mutant males.
