phaidra.vetmeduni.ac.at o:2409 DOI 10.1038/s41598-023-37547-6 Mate genetic similarity affects mating behaviour but not maternal investment in mice Maternal investment can affect the survival and development of offspring. Here we experimentally investigated in mice, whether females alter implantation rates and pup survival after embryo transfer depending on the genetic similarity with their vasectomised mating partner. We selected the MHC genotype and genetic background of males and paired females either with males that shared the same MHC haplotype and genetic background (CBA/J inbred males, isogenic group), that shared half of the MHC haplotype and genetic background (B6CBAF1 hybrid males, semi-isogenic group), or that had a different MHC haplotype and genetic background (C57BL/6N inbred males, allogenic group). We performed 304 pairings, resulting in 81 vaginal plugs, which confirmed mating. Plug rates were significantly higher in the semi-isogenic group (36.9%) compared to the isogenic group (19.5%), but not the allogenic group (26%). We found no difference in the number of implantation sites, the number of born or surviving pups until weaning, or litter weight or sex ratio between groups. Even though we found a mating bias, we found no difference in maternal investment under laboratory conditions. At least under pathogen-free conditions our study does not provide any evidence for differential maternal investment when females could increase offspring genetic diversity or heterozygosity. eng Female; Male; Animals; Mice; Mice, Inbred C57BL; Mice, Inbred CBA; Reproductiongenetics; Cell Communication; Embryo Implantation 2023-12-05T09:17:37.496Z LOMv1.0 Author BEGIN:VCARD VERSION:3.0 N:Auer;Kerstin E.; FN:Kerstin E. Auer X-ORCID:https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6399-1388 END:VCARD BEGIN:VCARD VERSION:3.0 N:Rülicke;Thomas; FN:Thomas Rülicke X-ORCID:https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2121-9496 END:VCARD BEGIN:VCARD VERSION:3.0 N:Dahlhoff;Maik; FN:Maik Dahlhoff X-ORCID:https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9189-7631 END:VCARD BEGIN:VCARD VERSION:3.0 N:Primus;Jasmin; FN:Jasmin Primus END:VCARD BEGIN:VCARD VERSION:3.0 N:Istel;Sonja; FN:Sonja Istel END:VCARD https://w3id.org/kim/hcrt/scheme https://w3id.org/kim/hcrt/text Textdokument Text LOMv1.0 yes https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0 application/pdf 724271 https://phaidra.vetmeduni.ac.at/o:2409 https://phaidra.vetmeduni.ac.at/api/object/o:2409/thumbnail LOMv1.0 discipline