Transgenic labeling of taste receptor cells in model fish under the control of the 5'-upstream region of medaka phospholipase C-beta 2 gene.
Vertebrate taste receptor cells express signaling molecules such as taste receptors and effectors to convert taste stimuli to inner cellular signals. Phospholipase C-beta2 (PLC-beta2) is an effector enzyme that is necessary to transduce taste signals in the mouse. It was shown that a subset of the plc-beta2 expressing cells also express taste receptor molecules, T1Rs or T2Rs, in mammals and fish. To label plc-beta2 expressing cells in the model fish species, we constructed a transgene by linking the 5'-upstream region of the medaka plc-beta2 gene to a green fluorescent protein (GFP) gene. The resulting transgenic medaka exhibited GFP signals in taste buds of the lips and the pharyngeal region. Detailed observation revealed that the GFP signals were in a subpopulation of taste bud cells, and co-localized with the transcript of endogenous plc-beta2 gene. Zebrafish introduced with the same transgene showed GFP signals in a subpopulation of taste bud cells of the lips and the pharyngeal region as in the case of medaka. This is the first report of successful labeling of taste receptor cells in two model fish species under the control of the plc-beta2 promoter. This promoter will be a useful genetic tool to study the vertebrate taste system in general.
Aihara
Yoshiko
Y
Department of Applied Biological Chemistry, Graduate School of Agricultural and Life Sciences, The University of Tokyo, 1-1-1 Yayoi, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-8657, Japan.
Yasuoka
Akihito
A
Yoshida
Yuki
Y
Ohmoto
Makoto
M
Shimizu-Ibuka
Akiko
A
Misaka
Takumi
T
Furutani-Seiki
Makoto
M
Matsumoto
Ichiro
I
Abe
Keiko
K
D000818:Animals; D030801:Animals, Genetically Modified; D001483:Base Sequence; D017931:DNA Primers / Q000235:genetics; D049452:Green Fluorescent Proteins / Q000235:genetics; D017403:In Situ Hybridization; D007527:Isoenzymes / Q000235:genetics*; D008957:Models, Genetic; D009990:Oryzias / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D054799:Phospholipase C beta; D011401:Promoter Regions, Genetic; D011994:Recombinant Proteins / Q000235:genetics; D013650:Taste Buds / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism*; D010738:Type C Phospholipases / Q000235:genetics*; D015027:Zebrafish / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism
D017931:DNA Primers; D007527:Isoenzymes; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D049452:Green Fluorescent Proteins; D010738:Type C Phospholipases; D054799:Phospholipase C beta; C518037:Plcb2 protein, mouse