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Wang S, Li M, Wang N, Song Y, Peng X, Chen M. Functional characterization of two DH44R genes associated with starvation and desiccation in Rhopalosiphum padi (Hemiptera: Aphididae). PESTICIDE BIOCHEMISTRY AND PHYSIOLOGY 2024; 201:105902. [PMID: 38685224 DOI: 10.1016/j.pestbp.2024.105902] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/19/2024] [Revised: 03/17/2024] [Accepted: 04/07/2024] [Indexed: 05/02/2024]
Abstract
CRF-like diuretic hormone receptor (CRF/DHR), also known as DH44R in insects, are G-protein coupled receptors (GPCRs) that play a role in regulating osmotic balance in various insect species. These receptors have the potential to be targeted for the development of insecticides. However, our understanding of the role of DHR genes in aphids, including Rhopalosiphum padi, a major wheat pest, is currently limited. In this study, we isolated and characterized two R. padi DHRs (RpDHR1 and RpDHR2). The expression levels of RpDHR1 increased after starvation and were restored after re-feeding. The expression levels of RpDHR1 gene decreased significantly 24 h after injection of dsRNA targeting the gene. Knockdown of RpDHR1 increased aphid mortality under starvation conditions (24, 36, 48 and 60 h). Under starvation and desiccation condition, the aphid mortality decreased after knockdown of RpDHR1. This is the first study to report the role of DHR genes in the starvation and desiccation response of aphids. The results suggest that RpDHR1 is involved in the resistance of R. padi to starvation and dehydration, making it a potential target for insecticide development. Novel insecticides could be created by utilizing DHR agonists to disrupt the physiological processes of insect pests.
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Affiliation(s)
- Suji Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Crop Stress Biology for Arid Areas, Key laboratory of Plant Protection Resources and Pest Management of Ministry of Education, Key Laboratory of Integrated Pest Management on Crops in Northwestern Loess Plateau of Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, College of Plant Protection, Northwest A&F University, Yangling 712100, Shaanxi, China
| | - Mengtian Li
- State Key Laboratory of Crop Stress Biology for Arid Areas, Key laboratory of Plant Protection Resources and Pest Management of Ministry of Education, Key Laboratory of Integrated Pest Management on Crops in Northwestern Loess Plateau of Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, College of Plant Protection, Northwest A&F University, Yangling 712100, Shaanxi, China
| | - Ni Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Crop Stress Biology for Arid Areas, Key laboratory of Plant Protection Resources and Pest Management of Ministry of Education, Key Laboratory of Integrated Pest Management on Crops in Northwestern Loess Plateau of Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, College of Plant Protection, Northwest A&F University, Yangling 712100, Shaanxi, China
| | - Yue Song
- State Key Laboratory of Crop Stress Biology for Arid Areas, Key laboratory of Plant Protection Resources and Pest Management of Ministry of Education, Key Laboratory of Integrated Pest Management on Crops in Northwestern Loess Plateau of Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, College of Plant Protection, Northwest A&F University, Yangling 712100, Shaanxi, China
| | - Xiong Peng
- State Key Laboratory of Crop Stress Biology for Arid Areas, Key laboratory of Plant Protection Resources and Pest Management of Ministry of Education, Key Laboratory of Integrated Pest Management on Crops in Northwestern Loess Plateau of Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, College of Plant Protection, Northwest A&F University, Yangling 712100, Shaanxi, China.
| | - Maohua Chen
- State Key Laboratory of Crop Stress Biology for Arid Areas, Key laboratory of Plant Protection Resources and Pest Management of Ministry of Education, Key Laboratory of Integrated Pest Management on Crops in Northwestern Loess Plateau of Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, College of Plant Protection, Northwest A&F University, Yangling 712100, Shaanxi, China.
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2
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Corzo FL, Traverso L, Sterkel M, Benavente A, Ajmat MT, Ons S. Plodia interpunctella (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae): Intoxication with essential oils isolated from Lippia turbinata (Griseb.) and analysis of neuropeptides and neuropeptide receptors, putative targets for pest control. ARCHIVES OF INSECT BIOCHEMISTRY AND PHYSIOLOGY 2020; 104:e21684. [PMID: 32329117 DOI: 10.1002/arch.21684] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/05/2020] [Revised: 04/06/2020] [Accepted: 04/09/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
The Indian meal moth Plodia interpunctella is a pest of stored products worldwide. Plant-derived essential oils with insecticidal activity could be safe products to control this species. The scarce information about the mode of action of most plant-derived products limits their use for the control of insect pests. Here, we demonstrate that an essential oil distilled from Lippia turbinata ("poleo") has insecticidal activity on P. interpunctella larvae. Furthermore, we performed a comprehensive characterization of P. interpunctella neuroendocrine system, in comparison with other lepidopteran species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fernando Livio Corzo
- Instituto de Ambiente de Montaña y Regiones Áridas Universidad Nacional de Chilecito (IAMRA-UNdeC), La Rioja, Argentina
| | - Lucila Traverso
- Laboratorio de Neurobiología de Insectos, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas, Centro Regional de Estudios Genómicos, Universidad Nacional de La Plata, La Plata, Argentina
| | - Marcos Sterkel
- Laboratorio de Neurobiología de Insectos, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas, Centro Regional de Estudios Genómicos, Universidad Nacional de La Plata, La Plata, Argentina
| | - Alba Benavente
- Instituto de Ambiente de Montaña y Regiones Áridas Universidad Nacional de Chilecito (IAMRA-UNdeC), La Rioja, Argentina
| | - María Teresa Ajmat
- Instituto de Ambiente de Montaña y Regiones Áridas Universidad Nacional de Chilecito (IAMRA-UNdeC), La Rioja, Argentina
| | - Sheila Ons
- Laboratorio de Neurobiología de Insectos, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas, Centro Regional de Estudios Genómicos, Universidad Nacional de La Plata, La Plata, Argentina
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3
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Iga M, Kataoka H. Identification and characterization of the diuretic hormone 31 receptor in the silkworm Bombyx mori. Biosci Biotechnol Biochem 2015; 79:1305-7. [PMID: 25754918 DOI: 10.1080/09168451.2015.1018128] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/02/2023]
Abstract
The receptor for diuretic hormone 31 (DH31R) was identified in the silkworm Bombyx mori. A heterologous expression system revealed that an orphan G-protein coupled receptor, BNGR-B1, responded to DH31 and upregulated the intracellular cAMP level. DH31R (BNGR-B1) was predominantly expressed in the anterior silk gland, midgut, and ovary, whereas DH31 was predominantly expressed in the central nervous system and midgut.
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Affiliation(s)
- Masatoshi Iga
- a Department of Integrated Biosciences, Graduate School of Frontier Sciences , The University of Tokyo , Chiba , Japan
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4
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Apone F, Ruggiero A, Tortora A, Tito A, Grimaldi MR, Arciello S, Andrenacci D, Di Lelio I, Colucci G. Targeting the diuretic hormone receptor to control the cotton leafworm, Spodoptera littoralis. JOURNAL OF INSECT SCIENCE (ONLINE) 2014; 14:87. [PMID: 25368043 PMCID: PMC4212857 DOI: 10.1093/jis/14.1.87] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/04/2012] [Accepted: 11/23/2012] [Indexed: 05/31/2023]
Abstract
The cotton leafworm, Spodoptera littoralis Boisduval (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae), is one of the most devastating pests of crops worldwide. Several types of treatments have been used against this pest, but many of them failed because of the rapid development of genetic resistance in the different insect populations. G protein coupled receptors have vital functions in most organisms, including insects; thus, they are appealing targets for species-specific pest control strategies. Among the insect G protein coupled receptors, the diuretic hormone receptors have several key roles in development and metabolism, but their importance in vivo and their potential role as targets of novel pest control strategies are largely unexplored. With the goal of using DHR genes as targets to control S. littoralis, we cloned a corticotropin-releasing factor-like binding receptor in this species and expressed the corresponding dsRNA in tobacco plants to knock down the receptor activity in vivo through RNA interference. We also expressed the receptor in mammalian cells to study its signaling pathways. The results indicate that this diuretic hormone receptor gene has vital roles in S. littoralis and represents an excellent molecular target to protect agriculturally-important plants from this pest.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fabio Apone
- Arterra BioSci., via Brin 69, 80142 Napoli, Italy
| | - Alessandra Ruggiero
- Arterra BioSci., via Brin 69, 80142 Napoli, Italy Current address: Center for Cardiovascular Genetics, The University of Texas Health Science Center, 6770 Bertner Street, Houston, TX 77030
| | | | | | | | | | - Davide Andrenacci
- Institute of Genetics and Biophysics, CNR, via Castellino 111, 80131 Napoli, Italy
| | - Ilaria Di Lelio
- Department of Entomology and Agricultural Zoology, University of Napoli, via Università 100, 80055 Portici (NA), Italy
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5
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Fan Y, Sun P, Wang Y, He X, Deng X, Chen X, Zhang G, Chen X, Zhou N. The G protein-coupled receptors in the silkworm, Bombyx mori. INSECT BIOCHEMISTRY AND MOLECULAR BIOLOGY 2010; 40:581-591. [PMID: 20685615 DOI: 10.1016/j.ibmb.2010.05.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 64] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/13/2009] [Revised: 05/07/2010] [Accepted: 05/27/2010] [Indexed: 05/29/2023]
Abstract
G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) are the largest and most versatile family of transmembrane receptors in the cell, occupying the highest hierarchical positions in the regulation of many physiological processes. Although they have been extensively studied in a number of model insects, there have been few investigations of GPCRs in large Lepidopterans, such as Bombyx mori, an organism that provides a means to perform detailed tissue expression analyses, which may help to characterize GPCRs and their ligands. In addition, B. mori, also known as the silkworm, is an insect of substantial economic importance, due to its use in silk production and traditional medicines. In this work, we computationally identified 90 putative GPCRs in B. mori, 33 of which represent novel proteins. These GPCRs were annotated and compared with their homologs in Drosophila melanogaster and Anopheles gambiae. Phylogenetics analyses of the GPCRs from these three insects showed that GPCRs may easily duplicate or disappear during insect evolution, especially in the neuropeptide and protein hormone receptor subfamily. Interestingly, we observed a decrease in the quantity and diversity of the stress-tolerance gene, Methuselah, in B. mori, which may be related to its long history of domestication. Moreover, the presence of many Bombyx-specific GPCRs suggests that neither Drosophila nor Anopheles is good representatives for the GPCRs in the Class Insecta.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yi Fan
- Institute of Biochemistry, College of Life Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, PR China
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6
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Neuropeptide Receptors as Possible Targets for Development of Insect Pest Control Agents. ADVANCES IN EXPERIMENTAL MEDICINE AND BIOLOGY 2010; 692:211-26. [DOI: 10.1007/978-1-4419-6902-6_11] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/07/2023]
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7
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Hector CE, Bretz CA, Zhao Y, Johnson EC. Functional differences between two CRF-related diuretic hormone receptors in Drosophila. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2009; 212:3142-7. [PMID: 19749107 DOI: 10.1242/jeb.033175] [Citation(s) in RCA: 41] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
In Drosophila, two related G-protein-coupled receptors are members of the corticotropin releasing factor (CRF) receptor subfamily. We have previously reported that one of these receptors, encoded by CG8422 is a functional receptor for a diuretic hormone, DH(44). Here, we report that the other CRF receptor subfamily member, encoded by CG12370, is also a receptor for the DH(44) neuropeptide. The lines of evidence to support this identification include increases in cAMP levels due to CG12370 receptor activation and the recruitment of beta-arrestin-GFP to the plasma membrane in response to DH(44) application. We compared these features of the receptors DH44-R2 (encoded by CG12370) and DH44-R1 (encoded by CG8422) and found fundamental differences in signaling, association with the arrestins, and peptide sensitivity. We found that the sensitivity of DH44-R2 to the DH(44) peptide is lower than that of DH44-R1, specifically an estimated EC(50) of 7.98E-07 moll(-1) for DH(44) by DH44-R2 to an EC(50) of 5.12E-09 moll(-1) by DH44-R1 and found that previous reports on the sensitivity of the tubule to DH(44) is in agreement with our measurements of DH44-R2 sensitivity. We employed a specific RNAi construct to selectively knock-down DH44-R2 expression and this led to heightened sensitivity to osmotic challenges. The functional characterization of this diuretic hormone receptor in Drosophila demonstrates a high degree of conservation of CRF-like signaling.
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Affiliation(s)
- Clare E Hector
- Department of Biology, Wake Forest University, Winston-Salem, NC 27109, USA
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8
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Neuropeptide receptor transcriptome reveals unidentified neuroendocrine pathways. PLoS One 2008; 3:e3048. [PMID: 18725956 PMCID: PMC2516173 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0003048] [Citation(s) in RCA: 149] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/12/2008] [Accepted: 08/02/2008] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Neuropeptides are an important class of molecules involved in diverse aspects of metazoan development and homeostasis. Insects are ideal model systems to investigate neuropeptide functions, and the major focus of insect neuropeptide research in the last decade has been on the identification of their receptors. Despite these vigorous efforts, receptors for some key neuropeptides in insect development such as prothoracicotropic hormone, eclosion hormone and allatotropin (AT), remain undefined. In this paper, we report the comprehensive cloning of neuropeptide G protein-coupled receptors from the silkworm, Bombyx mori, and systematic analyses of their expression. Based on the expression patterns of orphan receptors, we identified the long-sought receptor for AT, which is thought to stimulate juvenile hormone biosynthesis in the corpora allata (CA). Surprisingly, however, the AT receptor was not highly expressed in the CA, but instead was predominantly transcribed in the corpora cardiaca (CC), an organ adjacent to the CA. Indeed, by using a reverse-physiological approach, we purified and characterized novel allatoregulatory peptides produced in AT receptor-expressing CC cells, which may indirectly mediate AT activity on the CA. All of the above findings confirm the effectiveness of a systematic analysis of the receptor transcriptome, not only in characterizing orphan receptors, but also in identifying novel players and hidden mechanisms in important biological processes. This work illustrates how using a combinatorial approach employing bioinformatic, molecular, biochemical and physiological methods can help solve recalcitrant problems in neuropeptide research.
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Jagge CL, Pietrantonio PV. Diuretic hormone 44 receptor in Malpighian tubules of the mosquito Aedes aegypti: evidence for transcriptional regulation paralleling urination. INSECT MOLECULAR BIOLOGY 2008; 17:413-426. [PMID: 18651923 DOI: 10.1111/j.1365-2583.2008.00817.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/26/2023]
Abstract
In the mosquito Aedes aegypti (L.), the molecular endocrine mechanisms underlying rapid water elimination upon eclosion and blood feeding are not fully understood. The genome contains a single predicted diuretic hormone 44 (DH44) gene, but two DH44 receptor genes. The identity of the DH44 receptor(s) in the Malpighian tubule is unknown in any mosquito species. We show that VectorBase gene ID AAEL008292 encodes the DH44 receptor (GPRDIH1) most highly expressed in Malpighian tubules. Sequence analysis and transcript localization indicate that AaegGPRDIH1 is the co-orthologue of the Drosophila melanogaster DH44 receptor (CG12370-PA). Time-course quantitative PCR analysis of Malpighian tubule cDNA revealed AaegGPRDIH1 expression changes paralleling periods of excretion. This suggests that target tissue receptor biology is linked to the known periods of release of diuretic hormones from the nervous system pointing to a common up-stream regulatory mechanism.
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Affiliation(s)
- C L Jagge
- Department of Entomology, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX 77843-2475, USA
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10
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Claeys I, Poels J, Simonet G, Franssens V, Van Loy T, Van Hiel MB, Breugelmans B, Vanden Broeck J. Insect Neuropeptide and Peptide Hormone Receptors: Current Knowledge and Future Directions. VITAMINS & HORMONES 2005; 73:217-82. [PMID: 16399412 DOI: 10.1016/s0083-6729(05)73007-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Abstract
Peptides form a very versatile class of extracellular messenger molecules that function as chemical communication signals between the cells of an organism. Molecular diversity is created at different levels of the peptide synthesis scheme. Peptide messengers exert their biological functions via specific signal-transducing membrane receptors. The evolutionary origin of several peptide precursor and receptor gene families precedes the divergence of the important animal Phyla. In this chapter, current knowledge is reviewed with respect to the analysis of peptide receptors from insects, incorporating many recent data that result from the sequencing of different insect genomes. Therefore, detailed information is provided on six different peptide receptor families belonging to two distinct receptor categories (i.e., the heptahelical and the single transmembrane receptors). In addition, the remaining problems, the emerging concepts, and the future prospects in this area of research are discussed.
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MESH Headings
- Animals
- Drosophila/genetics
- Drosophila/physiology
- Drosophila Proteins/genetics
- Drosophila Proteins/physiology
- Forecasting
- Frizzled Receptors/genetics
- Frizzled Receptors/physiology
- Insecta/genetics
- Insecta/physiology
- Invertebrate Hormones/genetics
- Invertebrate Hormones/physiology
- Receptor Protein-Tyrosine Kinases/physiology
- Receptors, G-Protein-Coupled/genetics
- Receptors, G-Protein-Coupled/physiology
- Receptors, Gastrointestinal Hormone/genetics
- Receptors, Gastrointestinal Hormone/physiology
- Receptors, Guanylate Cyclase-Coupled/genetics
- Receptors, Guanylate Cyclase-Coupled/physiology
- Receptors, Invertebrate Peptide/genetics
- Receptors, Invertebrate Peptide/physiology
- Receptors, Peptide/genetics
- Receptors, Peptide/physiology
- Receptors, Tachykinin/genetics
- Receptors, Tachykinin/physiology
- Receptors, Transforming Growth Factor beta/physiology
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Affiliation(s)
- Ilse Claeys
- Laboratory for Developmental Physiology, Genomics and Proteomics Department of Animal Physiology and Neurobiology, Zoological Institute K.U.Leuven, Naamsestraat 59, B-3000 Leuven, Belgium
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Johnson EC, Bohn LM, Taghert PH. Drosophila CG8422 encodes a functional diuretic hormone receptor. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2004; 207:743-8. [PMID: 14747406 DOI: 10.1242/jeb.00818] [Citation(s) in RCA: 79] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
Diuretic hormone 44 (DH) is a bioactive neuropeptide that mediates osmotic balance in a wide variety of insects through increases in cAMP. It is structurally similar to mammalian corticotrophin releasing factor (CRF) peptides. In the moth Manduca and the cricket Acheta, functional studies have shown that its cognate receptor (DH-R) is related to the mammalian CRF receptor. The Drosophila genome contains two genes (CG8422 and CG12370) orthologous to Manduca and Acheta DH-Rs. Here, we present multiple lines of evidence to support the hypothesis that the orphan CG8422 G-protein-coupled receptor is a functional DH-R. When expressed in mammalian cells, CG8422 conferred selective sensitivity to DH, as indicated by translocation of a beta-arrestin-2-GFP reporter from the cytoplasm to the cell membrane. Consistent with its in vivo activities in other insects, DH activation of CG8422 elicited increases in a cAMP reporter system (CRE-luciferase), with an EC(50) of 1.7 nmol l(-1). CG8422 activation by DH also led to increases in intracellular calcium but at substantially higher doses (EC(50) approximately 300 nmol l(-1)). By microarray analysis, the CG8422 transcript was detectable in Drosophila head mRNA of different genotypes and under different environmental conditions. The identification of a Drosophila receptor for the DH neuropeptide provides a basis for genetic analysis of this critical factor's roles in maintaining physiological homeostasis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Erik C Johnson
- Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology, Washington University School of Medicine, Saint Louis, MO 63110, USA
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12
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Affiliation(s)
- Paul H Taghert
- Anatomy and Neurobiology, Washington University School of Medicine, St Louis, Missouri 63110, USA
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Meeusen T, Mertens I, De Loof A, Schoofs L. G Protein-Coupled Receptors in Invertebrates: A State of the Art. INTERNATIONAL REVIEW OF CYTOLOGY 2003; 230:189-261. [PMID: 14692683 DOI: 10.1016/s0074-7696(03)30004-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) constitute one of the largest and most ancient superfamilies of membrane-spanning proteins. We focus on neuropeptide GPCRs, in particular on those of invertebrates. In general, such receptors mediate the responses of signaling molecules that constitute the highest hierarchical position in the regulation of physiological processes. Until recently, only a few of these receptors were identified in invertebrates. However, the availability of a plethora of genomic information has boosted the discovery of novel members in several invertebrate species, such as Drosophila, in which 18 neuropeptide GPCRs have been characterized. The finalization of genomic projects in other invertebrates will lead to a similar expansion of GPCR understanding. Many new insights regarding neuropeptide regulation have followed from the discovery of their cognate receptors. Furthermore, information on GPCR signaling is still fragmentary and the elucidation of these pathways in model insects such as Drosophila will lead to further insights in other species, including mammals. In this review we present the current status of what is known about invertebrate GPCRs, discuss some novel perceptions that follow from the identified members, and, finally, present some future prospects.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tom Meeusen
- Laboratory of Developmental Physiology, Genomics, and Proteomics, K.U. Leuven, B-3000 Leuven, Belgium
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14
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Broeck JV. Insect G protein-coupled receptors and signal transduction. ARCHIVES OF INSECT BIOCHEMISTRY AND PHYSIOLOGY 2001; 48:1-12. [PMID: 11519072 DOI: 10.1002/arch.1054] [Citation(s) in RCA: 51] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/23/2023]
Abstract
G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) are seven-transmembrane proteins (7-TM) that transduce extracellular signals into cellular physiological responses through the activation of heterotrimeric guanine nucleotide binding proteins (alpha beta gamma subunits). Their general properties are remarkably well conserved during evolution. Despite this general resemblance, a large variety of different signals are mediated via this category of receptors. Several GPCR-(sub)families have an ancient origin that is situated before the divergence of Protostomian and Deuterostomian animals. Nevertheless, an enormous diversification has occurred since then. The availability of novel sequence information is growing very rapidly as a result of molecular cloning experiments and of metazoan genome (Caenorhabditis elegans, Drosophila melanogaster, Homo sapiens) and EST (expressed sequence tags) sequencing projects. The Drosophila Genome Sequencing Project will certainly have an important impact on insect signal transduction and receptor research. In parallel, convenient expression systems and functional assay procedures will be needed to investigate insect receptor properties and to monitor the effects of natural and artificial ligands. The study of the evolutionary aspects of G protein-coupled receptors and of their signaling pathways will probably reveal insect-specific features. More insight into these features may result in novel methods and practical applications. Arch.
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Affiliation(s)
- J V Broeck
- Laboratory for Developmental Physiology and Molecular Biology, Zoological Institute, K.U. Leuven, Leuven, Belgium.
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15
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Abstract
Neuropeptides form the most diverse class of chemical messenger molecules in metazoan nervous systems. They are usually generated from biosynthetic precursor polypeptides by enzymatic processing and modification. Many different peptides belonging to a number of distinct neuropeptide families have already been characterized from various insect species. The Drosophila Genome Sequencing Project has important implications for the future of neurobiological research. This paper describes the discovery of several new fruitfly neuropeptides by an in silico data mining approach. In addition, the state-of-the-art of Drosophila peptide research is reviewed.
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Affiliation(s)
- J Vanden Broeck
- Laboratory for Developmental Physiology and Molecular Biology, Zoological Institute, Naamsestraat 59, B-3000 Leuven, Belgium.
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