title: Expression of a sugar clade gustatory receptor, BmGr6, in the oral sensory organs, midgut, and central nervous system of larvae of the silkworm Bombyx mori.
abstract: Insects taste nonvolatile chemicals through gustatory receptors (Grs) and make choices for feeding, mating, and oviposition. To date, genome projects have identified 69 Gr genes in the silkworm, Bombyx mori; however, the expression sites of these Grs remain to be explored. In this study, we used reverse transcription (RT)-PCR to investigate expression of the B. mori Gr-6 (BmGr6) gene, a member of the putative sugar clade gene family in various tissues. BmGr6 is expressed in the midgut, central nervous system (CNS), and oral sensory organs. Moreover, immunohistochemistry using an anti-BmGr6 antiserum demonstrated that BmGr6 is expressed in cells by oral sensory organs, midgut and nervous system. Furthermore, double-immunohistochemistry indicated that BmGr6 is expressed in midgut enteroendocrine cells, also in CNS neurosecretory cells. In particular, a portion of BmGr6-expressing cells, in both midgut and CNS, secretes FMRFamide-related peptides (FaRPs). These results suggest that BmGr6 functions not only as a taste receptor, but also as a chemical sensor such as for the regulation of gut movement, physiological conditions, and feeding behavior of larvae.
authors.affiliation: Graduate School of Bio-Application and Systems Engineering, Tokyo University of Agriculture and Technology, Koganei 2-24-16, Tokyo 184-8588, Japan.
authors.forename: Dingze
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Mang
authors.affiliation: Graduate School of Bio-Application and Systems Engineering, Tokyo University of Agriculture and Technology, Koganei 2-24-16, Tokyo 184-8588, Japan.
authors.forename: Min
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Shu
authors.affiliation: Graduate School of Bio-Application and Systems Engineering, Tokyo University of Agriculture and Technology, Koganei 2-24-16, Tokyo 184-8588, Japan.
authors.forename: Haruka
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Endo
authors.affiliation: Graduate School of Bio-Application and Systems Engineering, Tokyo University of Agriculture and Technology, Koganei 2-24-16, Tokyo 184-8588, Japan.
authors.forename: Yasutaka
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Yoshizawa
authors.affiliation: Department of Applied Biological Chemistry, Graduate School of Agricultural and Life Sciences, University of Tokyo, Yayoi 1-1-1, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-8657, Japan.
authors.forename: Shinji
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Nagata
authors.affiliation: Graduate School of Bio-Application and Systems Engineering, Tokyo University of Agriculture and Technology, Koganei 2-24-16, Tokyo 184-8588, Japan.
authors.forename: Shingo
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kikuta
authors.affiliation: Graduate School of Bio-Application and Systems Engineering, Tokyo University of Agriculture and Technology, Koganei 2-24-16, Tokyo 184-8588, Japan. Electronic address: ryoichi@cc.tuat.ac.jp.
authors.forename: Ryoichi
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Sato
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D012831:Bombyx / Q000254:growth & development / Q000378:metabolism*; D002490:Central Nervous System / Q000378:metabolism*; D004064:Digestive System / Q000378:metabolism*; D007814:Larva / Q000378:metabolism*; D009055:Mouth / Q000378:metabolism*; D011956:Receptors, Cell Surface / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D011956:Receptors, Cell Surface
keywords: Bombyx mori; Central nervous system; Enteroendocrine cell; Gustatory receptor; Midgut; Neurosecretory cell; Oral sensory organs