Pophof Blanka
Max-Planck-Institut für Verhaltensphysiologie, Seewiesen, D-82319 Starnberg, Germany.
Chem Senses. 2004 Feb;29(2):117-25. doi: 10.1093/chemse/bjh012.
The sensilla trichodea of the silkmoth Antheraea polyphemus are innervated by three types of receptor neurons each responding specifically to one of three pheromone components. The sensillum lymph of these sensilla surrounding the sensory dendrites contains three different types of pheromone-binding proteins (PBPs) in high concentrations. The sensilla trichodea of the silkmoth Bombyx mori are supplied by two receptor neurons each tuned specifically to one of the two pheromone components bombykol and bombykal, but only one type of PBP has been found so far in these sensilla. Recombinant PBPs of both silkmoth species in various combinations with pheromone components were applied to the receptor neurons via tip-opened sensilla during electrophysiological recordings. Over a fairly broad range of pheromone concentrations the responses of the receptor neurons depended on both, the pheromone component and the type of the PBP. Therefore, the PBPs appear to contribute to the excitation of the receptor neurons. Furthermore, bombykal in combination with the expressed PBP of B. mori failed to activate the corresponding receptor neuron of B. mori, but did so if combined with one of the PBPs of A. polyphemus. Therefore, a still unknown binding protein involved in bombykal transport might be present in B. mori.
多音天蚕蛾的毛形感器由三种类型的受体神经元支配，每种神经元分别对三种性信息素成分之一产生特异性反应。围绕感觉树突的这些感器的感器淋巴中含有高浓度的三种不同类型的性信息素结合蛋白（PBPs）。家蚕的毛形感器由两个受体神经元提供，每个神经元分别对性信息素成分家蚕醇和家蚕醛中的一种进行特异性调谐，但迄今为止在这些感器中仅发现一种类型的PBP。在电生理记录过程中，将两种蚕蛾的重组PBPs与性信息素成分的各种组合通过尖端开口的感器应用于受体神经元。在相当宽的性信息素浓度范围内，受体神经元的反应取决于性信息素成分和PBP的类型。因此，PBPs似乎有助于受体神经元的兴奋。此外，家蚕醛与家蚕表达的PBP结合未能激活家蚕相应的受体神经元，但与多音天蚕蛾的一种PBPs结合时则可以激活。因此，家蚕中可能存在一种仍未知的参与家蚕醛转运的结合蛋白。
