Localization of soluble guanylyl cyclase alpha-subunit in identified insect neurons.
The distribution of soluble guanylyl cyclase in the brain of the locust Schistocerca gregaria was analysed using antisera to a highly conserved region (X-peptide) of the Drosophila soluble guanylyl cyclase alpha-subunit (SGCalpha). Analysis of locust brain and locust eye homogenates in Western blots using X-peptide antisera revealed specific staining of a approximately 65 kDa band, which is similar to the expected molecular mass for a SGCalpha-subunit. SGCalpha-immunoreactivity was localized in identified neuronal components of several sensory systems including photoreceptors of the compound eyes and ocelli, large ocellar interneurons, antennal mechanosensory neurons and olfactory interneurons. These neurons are putative targets for the gas nitric oxide which activates guanylyl cyclase activity in the locust brain.
School of Biological Sciences, Queen Mary and Westfield College, University of London, Mile End Road, London E1 4NS, UK. m.r.elphick@qmw.ac.uk
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Elphick
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Jones
D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D001921:Brain / Q000166:cytology / Q000201:enzymology; D002417:Cattle; D004331:Drosophila melanogaster / Q000201:enzymology; D006110:Grasshoppers / Q000201:enzymology; D006162:Guanylate Cyclase / Q000032:analysis* / Q000737:chemistry*; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D046911:Macromolecular Substances; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D008970:Molecular Weight; D009474:Neurons / Q000201:enzymology*; D017956:Photoreceptor Cells, Invertebrate / Q000166:cytology / Q000201:enzymology; D051381:Rats; D016415:Sequence Alignment; D017386:Sequence Homology, Amino Acid
D046911:Macromolecular Substances; D006162:Guanylate Cyclase