The activation of G-protein gated inwardly rectifying K+ channels by a cloned Drosophila melanogaster neuropeptide F-like receptor.
A Drosophila melanogaster G-protein-coupled receptor (NPFR76F) that is activated by neuropeptide F-like peptides has been expressed in Xenopus oocytes to determine its ability to regulate heterologously expressed G-protein-coupled inwardly rectifying potassium channels. The activated receptor produced inwardly rectifying potassium currents by a pertussis toxin-sensitive G-protein-mediated pathway and the effects were reduced in the presence of proteins, such as the betaARK 1 carboxy-tail fragment and alpha-transducin, which bind G-protein betagamma-subunits. Short Drosophila NPF-like peptides were more potent than long NPF-like peptides at coupling the receptor to the activation of inwardly rectifying potassium channels. The putative endogenous short Drosophila NPF-like peptides showed agonist-specific coupling depending on whether their actions were assessed as the activation of the inwardly rectifying potassium channels or as the activation of endogenous inward chloride channels through a co-expressed promiscuous G-protein, Galpha16. As inwardly rectifying potassium channels are known to be encoded in the Drosophila genome and the NPFR76F receptor is widely expressed in the Drosophila nervous system, the receptor could function to control neuronal excitability or slow wave potential generation in the Drosophila nervous system.
The Signalling Programme, The Babraham Institute, Babraham, Cambridge CB2 4AT, UK.
Vincenzina
V
Reale
Heather M
HM
Chatwin
Peter D
PD
Evans
D000818:Animals; D002712:Chlorides / Q000378:metabolism; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D029721:Drosophila Proteins; D004331:Drosophila melanogaster; D051676:G Protein-Coupled Inwardly-Rectifying Potassium Channels; D019204:GTP-Binding Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D015870:Gene Expression / Q000187:drug effects; D019476:Insect Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D015640:Ion Channel Gating; D008564:Membrane Potentials / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D009479:Neuropeptides / Q000378:metabolism; D009865:Oocytes; D018408:Patch-Clamp Techniques / Q000379:methods; D010455:Peptides / Q000494:pharmacology; D037342:Pertussis Toxin / Q000494:pharmacology; D011188:Potassium / Q000494:pharmacology; D015221:Potassium Channels / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000502:physiology; D024661:Potassium Channels, Inwardly Rectifying; D018075:RNA, Complementary / Q000378:metabolism; D018013:Receptors, Neuropeptide / Q000378:metabolism*; D014982:Xenopus laevis
D002712:Chlorides; D029721:Drosophila Proteins; D051676:G Protein-Coupled Inwardly-Rectifying Potassium Channels; D019476:Insect Proteins; C499701:NPFR protein, Drosophila; D009479:Neuropeptides; D010455:Peptides; D015221:Potassium Channels; D024661:Potassium Channels, Inwardly Rectifying; D018075:RNA, Complementary; D018013:Receptors, Neuropeptide; C400215:neuropeptide F, Drosophila; D037342:Pertussis Toxin; D019204:GTP-Binding Proteins; D011188:Potassium