A Drosophila gustatory receptor required for the responses to sucrose, glucose, and maltose identified by mRNA tagging

TitleA Drosophila gustatory receptor required for the responses to sucrose, glucose, and maltose identified by mRNA tagging
Publication TypeJournal Article
Year of Publication2007
AuthorsJiao Y, Moon SJ, Montell C
JournalProc Natl Acad Sci U S A
Volume104
Pagination14110-5
Date Published2007 Aug 28
ISSN0027-8424
KeywordsAnimals, Animals, Genetically Modified, Arabinose, Caffeine, Choice Behavior, Drosophila, Drosophila Proteins, Gene Expression Regulation, Homozygote, Receptors, Cell Surface, Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction, RNA, Messenger, Sucrose, Taste Threshold
Abstract

In Drosophila, detection of tastants is thought to be mediated by members of a family of 68 gustatory receptors (Grs). However, only one receptor, Gr5a, has been associated with a sugar, and it appears to be activated specifically by trehalose. It is unclear whether other sugar receptors are activated by single or multiple sugars. Currently, no Grs are known to colocalize with Gr5a. Such Grs would be candidate sugar receptors because Gr5a-expressing cells function in the responses to attractive tastants. Here we use an "mRNA tagging" approach to identify Gr RNAs that are coexpressed with Gr5a. We found that all seven Grs most related to Gr5a (Gr64a-f and Gr61a) were expressed in Gr5a-expressing cells, whereas none of the other Grs examined were enriched in these Gr neurons (GRNs). We characterized the role of one Gr5a-related receptor, Gr64a, and found that it was required for the behavioral responses to glucose, sucrose, and maltose. Gr64a was required for GRN function because action potentials induced by these sugars were dependent on expression of Gr64a in GRNs. These data demonstrate that multiple Grs are coexpressed with Gr5a and that Drosophila Gr64a is required for the responses to multiple sugars.

DOI10.1073/pnas.0702421104
Alternate JournalProc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A.
PubMed ID17715294
PubMed Central IDPMC1955822
Grant ListDC007864 / DC / NIDCD NIH HHS / United States