Expression of a vomeronasal receptor gene (V1r) and G protein alpha subunits in goat, Capra hircus, olfactory receptor neurons.
Most mammals have two distinct olfactory epithelia, the olfactory epithelium (OE) and vomeronasal epithelium (VNE), containing, respectively, olfactory receptor neurons (ORNs) and vomeronasal receptor neurons (VRNs). Olfactory receptors (ORs), which couple to G alpha olf, are generally expressed by ORNs, whereas two vomeronasal receptor families (V1rs and V2rs) coupled respectively to G alpha i2 and G alpha o, are expressed by VRNs. Previously, we reported that one goat V1rs (gV1ra1) is expressed by ORNs and VRNs. To investigate the characteristics of vomeronasal-receptor-expressing ORNs in mammals we performed double-label in situ hybridization for gV1ra1, G alpha i2, G alpha olf, olfactory marker protein (OMP), and growth association protein 43 (GAP43). Goat V1r-expressing ORNs are categorized into two types situated in different areas of the epithelium. The first type of V1r-expressing ORN coexpressed G alpha i2, but not OMP or GAP43. The second type of V1r-expressing ORN expresses G alpha olf and OMP, but not G alpha i2 or GAP43. These findings suggest that the two types of V1r-expressing ORN in goat OE function using different G protein alpha subunits for chemoreception.
Wakabayashi
Yoshihiro
Y
Laboratory of Cell Biology and Anatomy, Department of Neuroscience Basic Technology, Tokyo Metropolitan Institute for Neuroscience, Tokyo 183-8526, Japan.
Ohkura
Satoshi
S
Okamura
Hiroaki
H
Mori
Yuji
Y
Ichikawa
Masumi
M
D000818:Animals; D002630:Chemotactic Factors; D005260:Female; D019922:GAP-43 Protein / Q000378:metabolism; D044385:GTP-Binding Protein alpha Subunits / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation; D006041:Goats; D008297:Male; D051842:Olfactory Marker Protein / Q000378:metabolism; D009831:Olfactory Mucosa / Q000166:cytology* / Q000378:metabolism; D018034:Olfactory Receptor Neurons / Q000378:metabolism*; D020710:RGS Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D018035:Receptors, Odorant / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D012903:Smell / Q000502:physiology; D019147:Vomeronasal Organ / Q000378:metabolism*
D002630:Chemotactic Factors; D019922:GAP-43 Protein; D044385:GTP-Binding Protein alpha Subunits; D051842:Olfactory Marker Protein; D020710:RGS Proteins; D018035:Receptors, Odorant; C097187:regulator of G-protein signalling 19