title: Amino acid- vs. peptide-odorants: responses of individual olfactory receptor neurons in an aquatic species.
abstract: Amino acids are widely used waterborne olfactory stimuli proposed to serve as cues in the search for food. In natural waters the main source of amino acids is the decomposition of proteins. But this process also produces a variety of small peptides as intermediate cleavage products. In the present study we tested whether amino acids actually are the natural and adequate stimuli for the olfactory receptors they bind to. Alternatively, these olfactory receptors could be peptide receptors which also bind amino acids though at lower affinity. Employing calcium imaging in acute slices of the main olfactory epithelium of the fully aquatic larvae of Xenopus laevis we show that amino acids, and not peptides, are more effective waterborne odorants.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurophysiology and Cellular Biophysics, University of Göttingen, Göttingen, Germany.
authors.forename: Thomas
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Hassenklöver
authors.forename: Lars P
authors.initials: LP
authors.lastname: Pallesen
authors.forename: Detlev
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Schild
authors.forename: Ivan
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Manzini
mesh_terms: D000596:Amino Acids / Q000494:pharmacology*; D000818:Animals; D002118:Calcium / Q000378:metabolism; D009812:Odorants; D009831:Olfactory Mucosa / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D018034:Olfactory Receptor Neurons / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology; D010455:Peptides / Q000494:pharmacology*; D014982:Xenopus laevis
chemical_list: D000596:Amino Acids; D010455:Peptides; D002118:Calcium