Naked mole-rat queens maintain their sole breeding status through a sophisticated olfactory signaling program, rather than just bullying. Researchers at the Max Delbrück Center for Molecular Medicine discovered that a specific ester, isopropyl myristate, secreted by queens, acts as a chemical signal to suppress fertility in other females within the colony.

Naked mole rats possess an exceptionally large number of olfactory receptor genes, relying heavily on smell for navigation and social interaction. Scientists identified that colonies have unique chemical signatures, and individuals can distinguish nestmates from strangers. Crucially, they found that isopropyl myristate is present only in breeding queens and its concentration fluctuates with their fertility. This stable, volatile compound is smeared throughout the three-kilometer tunnel systems, ensuring widespread exposure.

Experiments demonstrated that exposure to isopropyl myristate triggers hormonal shifts in non-breeding females, lowering prolactin and raising progesterone, thereby suppressing their reproductive capacity. When queens were removed and the compound was reintroduced, the colony remained peaceful, with no attempts by other females to breed. This chemical mechanism, similar to pheromones used by eusocial insects, effectively prevents reproductive competition, highlighting a complex behavioral trait controlled by a single molecule.