Humidity response depends on the small soluble protein Obp59a in Drosophila

ELife
Jennifer S SunJohn R Carlson

Abstract

Hygrosensation is an essential sensory modality that is used to find sources of moisture. Hygroreception allows animals to avoid desiccation, an existential threat that is increasing with climate change. Humidity response, however, remains poorly understood. Here we find that humidity-detecting sensilla in the Drosophila antenna express and rely on a small protein, Obp59a. Mutants lacking this protein are defective in three hygrosensory behaviors, one operating over seconds, one over minutes, and one over hours. Remarkably, loss of Obp59a and humidity response leads to an increase in desiccation resistance. Obp59a is an exceptionally well-conserved, highly localized, and abundantly expressed member of a large family of secreted proteins. Antennal Obps have long been believed to transport hydrophobic odorants, and a role in hygroreception was unexpected. The results enhance our understanding of hygroreception, Obp function, and desiccation resistance, a process that is critical to insect survival.

References

Jul 1, 1995·Comparative Biochemistry and Physiology. Part B, Biochemistry & Molecular Biology·P Pelosi, R Maida
Jun 11, 1996·Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America·O Sayeed, S Benzer
Sep 6, 2002·Genome Research·Daria S Hekmat-ScafeMark A Tanouye
Feb 27, 2003·The Journal of Experimental Biology·Allen G GibbsLuciano M Matzkin
Mar 24, 2005·Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America·Walter S LealJennifer M Tsuruda
Sep 16, 2005·The Journal of Neuroscience : the Official Journal of the Society for Neuroscience·C Andrea YaoJohn R Carlson
Jun 21, 2006·Cellular and Molecular Life Sciences : CMLS·P PelosiM Calvello
Sep 10, 1981·Nature·R G Vogt, L M Riddiford
Mar 16, 2011·Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America·Brian M WiegmannDavid K Yeates
Sep 24, 2011·The Journal of Neuroscience : the Official Journal of the Society for Neuroscience·Ana F SilberingRichard Benton
Mar 22, 2012·Journal of Visualized Experiments : JoVE·Charles D NicholsUdai B Pandey
May 31, 2012·Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America·Martin von ArxRobert A Raguso
May 28, 2013·Genetics·Scott J GratzKate M O'Connor-Giles
Jun 28, 2013·The Journal of Neuroscience : the Official Journal of the Society for Neuroscience·Minrong AiGreg S B Suh
Jul 20, 2014·Insect Biochemistry and Molecular Biology·Faisal YounusJohn G Oakeshott
Dec 3, 2014·Comparative Biochemistry and Physiology. Part A, Molecular & Integrative Physiology·Joseph R StinzianoBrent J Sinclair
Mar 5, 2015·PloS One·Feiteng Ji, Yan Zhu
May 11, 2016·Current Biology : CB·Anders EnjinMarcus C Stensmyr
May 25, 2016·Current Biology : CB·Susy M Kim, Jing W Wang
May 27, 2016·G3 : Genes - Genomes - Genetics·Craig E Stanley, Rob J Kulathinal
Nov 16, 2016·ELife·Nikki K LarterJohn R Carlson
Jul 25, 2017·Current Biology : CB·Dominic D FrankMarco Gallio

❮ Previous
Next ❯

Citations

Sep 8, 2019·Genetics·Elizabeth A Scheuermann, Dean P Smith
Mar 16, 2019·PLoS Genetics·J Sebastian ChahdaJohn R Carlson
Jul 3, 2020·BioEssays : News and Reviews in Molecular, Cellular and Developmental Biology·Renny NgChih-Ying Su
Sep 30, 2019·Cellular and Molecular Life Sciences : CMLS·Daniel GonzalezLoïc Briand
Apr 13, 2019·Open Biology·Jennifer S SunJohn R Carlson
Jan 28, 2020·Journal of Comparative Physiology. A, Neuroethology, Sensory, Neural, and Behavioral Physiology·Zhilei Zhao, Carolyn S McBride
Oct 31, 2019·Insects·Christopher J Holmes, Joshua B Benoit
Oct 7, 2020·Open Biology·Hayden R Schmidt, Richard Benton
Apr 4, 2021·Biomolecules·Karen RihaniLoïc Briand
Nov 1, 2019·Genetics·Elizabeth A Scheuermann, Dean P Smith
Jun 3, 2021·International Journal of Molecular Sciences·Hao LiuMan-Qun Wang
Jun 24, 2021·The Journal of Experimental Biology·Michael J M HarrapSean A Rands

❮ Previous
Next ❯

Methods Mentioned

BETA
RNAseq
confocal microscopy

Related Concepts

Trending Feeds

COVID-19

Coronaviruses encompass a large family of viruses that cause the common cold as well as more serious diseases, such as the ongoing outbreak of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19; formally known as 2019-nCoV). Coronaviruses can spread from animals to humans; symptoms include fever, cough, shortness of breath, and breathing difficulties; in more severe cases, infection can lead to death. This feed covers recent research on COVID-19.

Blastomycosis

Blastomycosis fungal infections spread through inhaling Blastomyces dermatitidis spores. Discover the latest research on blastomycosis fungal infections here.

Nuclear Pore Complex in ALS/FTD

Alterations in nucleocytoplasmic transport, controlled by the nuclear pore complex, may be involved in the pathomechanism underlying multiple neurodegenerative diseases including Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis and Frontotemporal Dementia. Here is the latest research on the nuclear pore complex in ALS and FTD.

Applications of Molecular Barcoding

The concept of molecular barcoding is that each original DNA or RNA molecule is attached to a unique sequence barcode. Sequence reads having different barcodes represent different original molecules, while sequence reads having the same barcode are results of PCR duplication from one original molecule. Discover the latest research on molecular barcoding here.

Chronic Fatigue Syndrome

Chronic fatigue syndrome is a disease characterized by unexplained disabling fatigue; the pathology of which is incompletely understood. Discover the latest research on chronic fatigue syndrome here.

Evolution of Pluripotency

Pluripotency refers to the ability of a cell to develop into three primary germ cell layers of the embryo. This feed focuses on the mechanisms that underlie the evolution of pluripotency. Here is the latest research.

Position Effect Variegation

Position Effect Variagation occurs when a gene is inactivated due to its positioning near heterochromatic regions within a chromosome. Discover the latest research on Position Effect Variagation here.

STING Receptor Agonists

Stimulator of IFN genes (STING) are a group of transmembrane proteins that are involved in the induction of type I interferon that is important in the innate immune response. The stimulation of STING has been an active area of research in the treatment of cancer and infectious diseases. Here is the latest research on STING receptor agonists.

Microbicide

Microbicides are products that can be applied to vaginal or rectal mucosal surfaces with the goal of preventing, or at least significantly reducing, the transmission of sexually transmitted infections. Here is the latest research on microbicides.