Extended Data Fig. 4: LPS odour suppresses male mating behaviours.

a–c, Male mice were presented with PBS or LPS odour (a). Representative images (b) and quantification (c) of FOS expression in the COApm of males after exposure to PBS or LPS odour (PBS odour, n = 6 and LPS odour, n = 8; from 2 independent experiments). Scale bar, 500 μm. d, e, Virus encoding GCaMP6s (AAV₁-Syn-GCaMP6s) was targeted to the COApm for fibre photometry recordings. Male mice were sequentially presented with a PBS or LPS odour in counterbalanced sessions. Traces of COApm bulk fluorescence signal (solid line shows the average and shaded area indicates the s.e.m.) (d) and the mean z-score of the fluorescence during the first 20 s of direct investigation of the odour (e) (n = 6; from 3 independent experiments). f–m, Male mice were presented with a healthy female painted with PBS or LPS odour (f). Percentage of male mounting (g), mounting time (h), number of mounts (i), latency to mount (j) and duration of additional male behaviours while engaged in direct interactions with the female (k). Percentage of female behaviours in response to males’ mounting attempts (l) and the number of cage crossings (m) (PBS odour, n = 10 and LPS odour, n = 11; from 2 independent experiments). *P < 0.05, **P < 0.01 and ****P < 0.0001 calculated by unpaired two-tailed t-test (c, h–j), paired two-tailed t-test (e), chi-square test of independence (g) and two-way ANOVA with Sidak’s post hoc test (k). Data are mean ± s.e.m. P values are described in the Supplementary Statistical Information.