Olfactory signalling in vertebrates and insects: differences and commonalities.
Vertebrates and insects have evolved complex repertoires of chemosensory receptors to detect and distinguish odours. With a few exceptions, vertebrate chemosensory receptors belong to the family of G protein-coupled receptors that initiate a cascade of cellular signalling events and thereby electrically excite the neuron. Insect receptors, which are structurally and genetically unrelated to vertebrate receptors, are a complex of two distinct molecules that serves both as a receptor for the odorant and as an ion channel that is gated by binding of the odorant. Metabotropic signalling in vertebrates provides a rich panoply of positive and negative regulation, whereas ionotropic signalling in insects enhances processing speed.
Center of Advanced European Studies and Research, Ludwig-Erhard-Allee 2, Bonn, Germany. u.b.kaupp@caesar.de
U Benjamin
UB
Kaupp
D000818:Animals; D007313:Insecta / Q000502:physiology*; D009812:Odorants; D009833:Olfactory Pathways / Q000502:physiology*; D018034:Olfactory Receptor Neurons / Q000502:physiology*; D010675:Pheromones; D018035:Receptors, Odorant / Q000502:physiology*; D015398:Signal Transduction / Q000502:physiology; D012903:Smell / Q000502:physiology; D014714:Vertebrates / Q000502:physiology*
D010675:Pheromones; D018035:Receptors, Odorant