A Drosophila protein family implicated in pheromone perception is related to Tay-Sachs GM2-activator protein.

ABSTRACT: Low volatility, lipid-like cuticular hydrocarbon pheromones produced by Drosophila melanogaster females play an essential role in triggering and modulating mating behavior, but the chemosensory mechanisms involved remain poorly understood. Recently, we showed that the CheB42a protein, which is expressed in only 10 pheromone-sensing taste hairs on the front legs of males, modulates progression to late stages of male courtship behavior in response to female-specific cuticular hydrocarbons. Here we report that expression of all 12 genes in the CheB gene family is predominantly or exclusively gustatory-specific, and occurs in many different, often non-overlapping patterns. Only the Gr family of gustatory receptor genes displays a comparable variety of gustatory-specific expression patterns. Un

SUBMITTER: Starostina E 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC2610497 | biostudies-literature | 2009 Jan

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature