title: Differential involvement of glutamate-gated chloride channel splice variants in the olfactory memory processes of the honeybee Apis mellifera.
abstract: Glutamate-gated chloride channels (GluCl) belong to the cys-loop ligand-gated ion channel superfamily and their expression had been described in several invertebrate nervous systems. In the honeybee, a unique gene amel_glucl encodes two alternatively spliced subunits, Amel_GluCl A and Amel_GluCl B. The expression and differential localization of those variants in the honeybee brain had been previously reported. Here we characterized the involvement of each variant in olfactory learning and memory processes, using specific small-interfering RNA (siRNA) targeting each variant. Firstly, the efficacy of the two siRNAs to decrease their targets' expression was tested, both at mRNA and protein levels. The two proteins showed a decrease of their respective expression 24h after injection. Secondly, each siRNA was injected into the brain to test whether or not it affected olfactory memory by using a classical paradigm of conditioning the proboscis extension reflex (PER). Amel_GluCl A was found to be involved only in retrieval of 1-nonanol, whereas Amel_GluCl B was involved in the PER response to 2-hexanol used as a conditioned stimulus or as new odorant. Here for the first time, a differential behavioral involvement of two highly similar GluCl subunits has been characterized in an invertebrate species.
authors.affiliation: Centre de Recherches sur la Cognition Animale, Université Paul Sabatier Toulouse III, 118 route de Narbonne, F-31062 Toulouse Cedex 9, France. Electronic address: fabien.demares@univ-tlse3.fr.
authors.forename: Fabien
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Démares
authors.affiliation: Centre de Recherches sur la Cognition Animale, Université Paul Sabatier Toulouse III, 118 route de Narbonne, F-31062 Toulouse Cedex 9, France.
authors.forename: Florian
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Drouard
authors.affiliation: Centre de Recherches sur la Cognition Animale, Université Paul Sabatier Toulouse III, 118 route de Narbonne, F-31062 Toulouse Cedex 9, France.
authors.forename: Isabelle
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Massou
authors.affiliation: Centre de Recherches sur la Cognition Animale, Université Paul Sabatier Toulouse III, 118 route de Narbonne, F-31062 Toulouse Cedex 9, France.
authors.forename: Cindy
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Crattelet
authors.affiliation: Centre de Recherches sur la Cognition Animale, Université Paul Sabatier Toulouse III, 118 route de Narbonne, F-31062 Toulouse Cedex 9, France.
authors.forename: Aurore
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Lœuillet
authors.affiliation: Centre de Recherches sur la Cognition Animale, Université Paul Sabatier Toulouse III, 118 route de Narbonne, F-31062 Toulouse Cedex 9, France.
authors.forename: Célia
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Bettiol
authors.affiliation: Laboratoire Récepteurs et Canaux Ioniques Membranaires (RCIM), UPRES-EA2647 USC INRA 1330 SFR 4207 QUASAV, LUNAM Université d'Angers, 2 blvd Lavoisier, F-49045 Angers Cedex 01, France.
authors.forename: Valérie
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Raymond
authors.affiliation: Centre de Recherches sur la Cognition Animale, Université Paul Sabatier Toulouse III, 118 route de Narbonne, F-31062 Toulouse Cedex 9, France.
authors.forename: Catherine
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Armengaud
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001483:Base Sequence; D001516:Bees / Q000502:physiology*; D015153:Blotting, Western; D018118:Chloride Channels / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology*; D017931:DNA Primers; D008568:Memory / Q000502:physiology*; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D034622:RNA Interference; D012326:RNA Splicing; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000235:genetics; D034741:RNA, Small Interfering / Q000235:genetics; D012903:Smell / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology*
chemical_list: D018118:Chloride Channels; D017931:DNA Primers; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D034741:RNA, Small Interfering; C109777:glutamate-gated chloride channels
keywords: Alternative splicing; Glutamate receptor; Invertebrate; Learning; Olfaction; Retrieval; siRNA