Mechanisms of Olfaction in Insects - ResearchSpace@Auckland ...
Mechanisms of Olfaction in Insects - ResearchSpace@Auckland ...
Mechanisms of Olfaction in Insects - ResearchSpace@Auckland ...
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General Introduction 12<br />
S-transferases, and cytochrome P450. See Vogt et al. (1985) and Vogt et al. (2003)<br />
for reviews.<br />
1.5.2 Membrane prote<strong>in</strong>s<br />
Two classes <strong>of</strong> membrane prote<strong>in</strong>s have been postulated to be <strong>of</strong> importance to moth<br />
olfaction, the first one be<strong>in</strong>g sensory neuron membrane prote<strong>in</strong>s (SNMPs) and the<br />
other be<strong>in</strong>g odorant receptors. SNMPs were discovered <strong>in</strong> 1988 (Vogt et al., 1988;<br />
Rogers et al., 2001) <strong>in</strong> the antennal lymph <strong>of</strong> A. polyphemus. There are two classes <strong>of</strong><br />
SNMPs (SNMP1 and SNMP2) <strong>in</strong> moths, with 25 to 75% am<strong>in</strong>o acid identity between<br />
them (Vogt et al., 2003). They were thought to be candidates for the PR <strong>of</strong> moths due<br />
to their antennal specific expression, pheromone b<strong>in</strong>d<strong>in</strong>g ability and expression onset<br />
synchronised with olfactory function development <strong>in</strong> moths (Vogt et al., 1988; Rogers<br />
et al., 2001a). This hypothesis was later rejected when evidence emerged that SNMPs<br />
were expressed <strong>in</strong> similar levels <strong>in</strong> both male and female antennae, had only two<br />
transmembrane doma<strong>in</strong>s, were found <strong>in</strong> most olfactory sensilla types and had low<br />
diversity (Rogers et al., 1997; Rogers et al., 2001). SNMPs are similar to mammalian<br />
membrane bound CD36 prote<strong>in</strong>s. CD36 has implications <strong>in</strong> cell-to-cell <strong>in</strong>teraction, <strong>in</strong><br />
the transport <strong>of</strong> small hydrophobic molecules and b<strong>in</strong>d<strong>in</strong>g prote<strong>in</strong>/lipid complexes<br />
(Vogt et al., 2003). A study carried out by Benton et al. (2007) showed that SNMP is<br />
essential <strong>in</strong> pheromone <strong>in</strong>duced response <strong>of</strong> PRs <strong>in</strong> D. melanogaster (Figure 1.3).<br />
SNMP is expressed <strong>in</strong> high concentrations <strong>in</strong> the trichoid sensilla <strong>of</strong> Drosophila but<br />
does not affect the development <strong>of</strong> trichoid OSNs and support cells. Several different<br />
pheromone b<strong>in</strong>d<strong>in</strong>g experiments showed that Drosophila SNMP is essential for cVA<br />
mediated response <strong>of</strong> OR67d. H. virescens PR, HvOR13 when expressed <strong>in</strong> OR67d<br />
neurons also required SNMP to elicit response to the H. virescens pheromone<br />
component (Z)-11-hexadecenal. This study <strong>in</strong>dicates a role <strong>of</strong> <strong>in</strong>sect SNMPs as a co-<br />
receptor for pheromone reception, due to their preference for b<strong>in</strong>d<strong>in</strong>g lipids (Benton et<br />
al., 2007). SNMP may function <strong>in</strong> olfactory perception <strong>of</strong> pheromones by <strong>in</strong>teract<strong>in</strong>g<br />
with different components <strong>of</strong> the olfactory system. It could be <strong>in</strong>volved <strong>in</strong><br />
destabilis<strong>in</strong>g the PBP/pheromone complex and act<strong>in</strong>g as a prelim<strong>in</strong>ary receptor for the<br />
pheromone, convey<strong>in</strong>g it to the PR. It could also couple to the signal transduction<br />
pathway or be <strong>in</strong>volved <strong>in</strong> signal term<strong>in</strong>ation (Rogers et al., 2001; Vogt et al., 2003).