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SUMMARY:HOW FLIES SMELL: THE MOLECULAR BIOLOGY OF DROSOPHILA OLFACTION - R
 ICHARD BENTON\, THE ROCKEFELLER UNIVERSITY\, NEW YORK
DTSTART:20060824T120000Z
DTEND:20060824T130000Z
UID:TALK5199@talks.cam.ac.uk
CONTACT:Greg Jefferis
DESCRIPTION:Insects use their sense of smell to locate food\, avoid enviro
 nmental dangers\, recognise kin and identify potential mates. Despite a we
 alth of data on the neuroanatomy and physiology of their olfactory circuit
 s\, remarkably little is known about the molecular basis of insect olfacti
 on. Insect odorant receptors (ORs) contain seven predicted transmembrane d
 omains\, which has led to the prevailing assumption that they - like mamma
 lian ORs - are members of the G protein-coupled receptor (GPCR) superfamil
 y. \n\nI have challenged this dogma\, through my demonstration that Drosop
 hila ORs are structurally and functionally distinct from their mammalian c
 ounterparts. I have found that insect ORs adopt an inverted membrane topol
 ogy relative to GPCRs\, with their N-termini and most highly conserved loo
 ps in the cytoplasm. Moreover\, these receptors do not exist in a monomeri
 c state but rather associate via these loops with OR83b\, a broadly expres
 sed member of the OR family. OR83b appears to act as an olfactory co-recep
 tor that is essential to transport and maintain the heteromeric OR/OR83b c
 omplex in the sensory cilia. \n\nGiven this evolutionarily unique molecula
 r design of the Drosophila odorant receptor\, I reasoned that other compon
 ents of olfactory signalling pathways might also be specific to insects. T
 o identify such molecules\, I have initiated a comparative genomics approa
 ch\, through in silico analysis of Drosophila\, mosquito and vertebrate ge
 nome sequences. I have identified approximately fifty novel genes that are
  expressed specifically or highly enriched in olfactory sensory neurons. I
  will describe this screening strategy and present my functional character
 isation of some of the identified genes. Such insect-specific molecules re
 present excellent candidate targets for custom-designed insect repellents 
 to inhibit the olfactory-driven behaviours of agricultural pests and disea
 se vectors.
LOCATION:Part 2 Neuroscience Lecture Theatre\, Austin Building\, New Museu
 ms Site
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