Tmem16b is specifically expressed in the cilia of olfactory sensory neurons.
Calcium-activated chloride channels (CaCCs) are involved in many physiological processes, including sensory signal transduction, but only little is known to date about their structure and function. We performed a proteome analysis of the olfactory epithelium (OE) membrane proteome and identified so far uncharacterized membrane proteins as candidate channels. One of the most abundant membrane proteins in olfactory sensory neurons (OSNs) was Tmem16b, a member of a recently identified family of CaCCs. In addition to former studies performed on Tmem16b, we show here that Tmem16b expression is highly specific for the OE, in contrast to the closely related Tmem16a, which shows a broad expression pattern in secretory epithelial cells. Native Tmem16b is localized in the cilia of the OSNs, which is in agreement with previous electrophysiological recordings.
Rasche
Sebastian
S
NeuroScience Research Center, Charité, Universitätsmedizin Berlin, 10117 Berlin, Germany.
Toetter
Bastian
B
Adler
Jenny
J
Tschapek
Astrid
A
Doerner
Julia F
JF
Kurtenbach
Stefan
S
Hatt
Hanns
H
Meyer
Helmut
H
Warscheid
Bettina
B
Neuhaus
Eva M
EM
D000818:Animals; D000075368:Anoctamins; D018118:Chloride Channels / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D002923:Cilia / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D051379:Mice; D009831:Olfactory Mucosa / Q000378:metabolism; D018034:Olfactory Receptor Neurons / Q000378:metabolism*; D020543:Proteome / Q000378:metabolism
C532161:ANO2 protein, mouse; D000075368:Anoctamins; D018118:Chloride Channels; D020543:Proteome