Bestrophin-encoded Ca²⁺-activated Cl⁻ channels underlie a current with properties similar to the native current in the moth Spodoptera littoralis olfactory receptor neurons.

ABSTRACT: Responses of insect olfactory receptor neurons (ORNs) involve an entry of Ca²⁺ through olfactory heterodimeric receptor complexes. In moths, the termination of ORN responses was found to strongly depend on the external Ca²⁺ concentration through the activation of unknown Ca²⁺-dependent Cl⁻ channels. We thus investigated the molecular identity of these Cl⁻ channels. There is compelling evidence that bestrophins form Cl⁻ channels when expressed in heterologous systems. Here we provide evidence that antennae of the moth Spodoptera littoralis express three transcripts encoding proteins with hallmarks of bestrophins. One of these transcripts, SlitBest1b, is expressed in ORNs. The heterologous expression of SlitBest1b protein in CHO-K1 cells yielded a Ca²⁺-activated Cl⁻ current that shares elect

SUBMITTER: Francois A 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3530479 | biostudies-literature | 2012

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature