Molecular characterization of arrestin family members in the malaria vector mosquito, Anopheles gambiae.
Olfaction influences many insect behaviours including mate seeking and host selection. The molecular machinery underlying insect olfactory systems is a G protein-coupled receptor pathway that, in addition to activation, requires adaptation for olfactory sensitivity and discrimination. We have previously identified ARR1 (henceforth AgARR1), a sensory arrestin from the malaria vector mosquito Anopheles gambiae that has been postulated to modulate olfactory adaptation. This report describes three additional arrestin family members including ARR2 (henceforth AgARR2), which is similar to previously characterized insect sensory arrestins and is expressed at significantly higher levels in the antennae of male vs. female A. gambiae mosquitoes. This finding is consistent with the hypothesis that AgARR2 may be important for the regulation of olfactory-driven behaviours particular to male mosquitoes.
Department of Biological Sciences, Program in Developmental Biology and Center for Molecular Neuroscience, Vanderbilt University Nashville, TN 37235, USA.
C E
CE
Merrill
R J
RJ
Pitts
L J
LJ
Zwiebel
D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D000852:Anopheles / Q000235:genetics*; D019390:Arrestins / Q000235:genetics*; D017931:DNA Primers; D005260:Female; D015870:Gene Expression; D015723:Gene Library; D008297:Male; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D010802:Phylogeny; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; D016415:Sequence Alignment; D017422:Sequence Analysis, DNA; D012737:Sex Factors; D012903:Smell / Q000235:genetics*
D019390:Arrestins; D017931:DNA Primers