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The Journal of Neuroscience, April 30, 2008, 28(18):4745-4755; doi:10.1523/JNEUROSCI.5306-07.2008

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Cellular/Molecular
Reduced Odor Responses from Antennal Neurons of G_q, Phospholipase Cβ, and rdgA Mutants in Drosophila Support a Role for a Phospholipid Intermediate in Insect Olfactory Transduction

Pinky Kain,¹ Tuhin Subra Chakraborty,¹ Susinder Sundaram,² Obaid Siddiqi,¹ Veronica Rodrigues,^1,2 and Gaiti Hasan¹

¹National Centre for Biological Sciences, Tata Institute of Fundamental Research, Bangalore 560065, India, and ²Department of Biological Sciences, Tata Institute of Fundamental Research, Mumbai 400005, India

Correspondence should be addressed to Gaiti Hasan, National Centre for Biological Sciences, Tata Institute of Fundamental Research, Bellary Road, Bangalore 560065, India. Email: gaiti{at}ncbs.res.in

Mechanisms by which G-protein-coupled odorant receptors transduce information in insects still need elucidation. We show that mutations in the Drosophila gene for G_q (dgq) significantly reduce both the amplitude of the field potentials recorded from the whole antenna in responses to odorants as well as the frequency of evoked responses of individual sensory neurons. This requirement for G_q is for adult function and not during antennal development. Conversely, brief expression of a dominant-active form of G_q in adults leads to enhanced odor responses. To understand signaling downstream of G_q in olfactory sensory neurons, genetic interactions of dgq were tested with mutants in genes known to affect phospholipid signaling. dgq mutant phenotypes were further enhanced by mutants in a PLCβ (phospholipase Cβ) gene, plc21C. Interestingly although, the olfactory phenotype of mutant alleles of diacylglycerol kinase (rdgA) was rescued by dgq mutant alleles. Our results suggest that G_q-mediated olfactory transduction in Drosophila requires a phospholipid second messenger the levels of which are regulated by a cycle of phosphatidylinositol 1,4-bisphosphate breakdown and regeneration.

Key words: dgq; olfactory sensory neurons; electroantennogram; plc21C; rdgA; signal transduction

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Received Nov. 30, 2007; revised April 2, 2008; accepted April 2, 2008.

Correspondence should be addressed to Gaiti Hasan, National Centre for Biological Sciences, Tata Institute of Fundamental Research, Bellary Road, Bangalore 560065, India. Email: gaiti{at}ncbs.res.in

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