Natural variability of trace-amine associated receptors in wild meerkats.

Summary: Animals use their sense of smell for many important things, like finding food, talking to friends, and hiding from danger. But we don't know much about the genes that control how wild animals smell things. Scientists looked at the DNA of 398 wild meerkats over 20 years to study special smell genes called TAARs. They found 9 of these genes, with many different versions mixed in the meerkat family. Some versions were very common, showing they are important for survival. This is the first time scientists have studied these smell genes in animals that work together like meerkats. It will help us understand how smell affects their social lives and choices!