Ig). We then determined the stock leptin concentration employing the Bradford
Ig). We then determined the stock leptin concentration applying the Bradford reagent. In every single experiment, we gave subcutaneous injections (0.1 ml) of leptin dissolved in saline (2 ng per g body mass of toad) or saline when per day for six sequential days. The sixth injection was offered 1 h prior to each and every behavioral trial. Our dose was modest compared to comparable (i.e., subcutaneous) treatment options applied previously in frogs [12]. Particularly, Crespi and Denver [12] found that 2 g of leptin per tadpole (corresponding to about 1 g per gram body weight) reduced weight gain. However, assays for amphibian leptin usually do not exist at this time, so we can not relate our leptin therapy to endogenous leptin levels.Appetite assayWe first examined the impact of our injections on prey-catching behavior as a measure of appetite. One week before trials, females were not fed. Following leptin (n = 9) or saline (n = 9) remedy (as above), we presented every female with approximately 50 crickets inside a covered arena (0.6 m x 0.3 m x 0.3 m) and we counted the cumulative attacks produced by each toad in 3 min intervals over the course of 15 min.Phonotaxis testsWe examined the effects of leptin (n = 30) or saline (n = 20) on mating preferences in twochoice phonotaxis trials employing previous techniques. Especially, we placed each and every female in the center of a circular water-filled wading pool (1.eight m diameter). Every single female was initially placed on a central platform (above water level) equidistant between two speakers broadcasting either conspecific or heterospecific calls. The stimuli have already been used previously and have been composed of typical contact characteristics for each species [11, 13]. One hour right after the final leptin injection (see above), we tested every female in back-to-back trials in shallow (six cm) and deep (30 cm) pools; the pond depth from the initial trial was randomly assigned for each and every female to handle for order effects. We scored a female as preferring a get in touch with stimulus if it approached and D1 Receptor Antagonist drug touched a speaker. That is a trusted technique for assessing mate selection mainly because females initiate mating by closely approaching or touching males [14]. We scored females as non-responsive if they didn’t choose a stimulus inside 30 minutes. We also recorded the latency to decide on a get in touch with. Simply because leptin-treated females preferred heterospecific calls within the deep-water atmosphere (see Benefits), we asked no matter whether this preference was repeatable by testing an extra group ofPLOS 1 | DOI:10.1371/journal.pone.0125981 April 28,3/Leptin and mate choiceleptin-treated females (n = 21) in deep water in four trials. We gave the very first two tests in backto-back trials one hour following the last leptin injection, as described above. We then gave the females one week with no remedy before beginning the course of injections once more, followed by the last two tests in back-to-back trials. We measured repeatability as the total number of trials in which every single female selected the heterospecific get in touch with.Statistical analysisTo establish if leptin affected appetite, we employed a repeated Brd Inhibitor custom synthesis measures ANOVA with hormone remedy as a between-subjects aspect, time as a within-subjects aspect, and their interaction to detect therapy effects on prey attacks. Inside the initial phonotaxis experiment, we utilized contingency table analysis with Fisher’s exact tests to identify if leptin-treated females expressed diverse patterns of preference from saline-treated females. Also, to test irrespective of whether leptin affected latency to c.