0000000000121235
AUTHOR
Jérémy Sallé
serrano gene and NaCl perception
Gustatory information is considered to be important for animals to control behavior when they seek for food or partners. 60 members of gustatory receptor (Gr) genes have been identified in Drosophila.. However little is now about mechanisms of taste perception and transduction in response to stimuli. In order to identify new genes involved in gustation, we performed a genetic screen using Gal4-UAS system based on expression of the reporter gene in chemosensory organs and gustatory defects in larvae and adults. We identified the serrano (sano) gene, which encodes a 778 aa protein with a leucine zipper domain, a putative transmembrane domain, and putative bipartite nuclear localization signal…
High-NaCl perception in drosophila melanogaster
Salt is a fundamental nutrient that is required for many physiological processes, including electrolyte homeostasis and neuronal activity. In mammals and Drosophila, the detection of NaCl induces two different behaviors: low-salt concentrations provide an attractive stimulus, whereas high-salt concentrations are avoided. We identified the gene called serrano (sano) as being expressed in the sensory organs of Drosophila larvae. A transgenic reporter line showed that sano was coexpressed with Gr66a in a subset of gustatory neurons in the terminal organ of third-instar larvae. The disruption of sano gene expression in gustatory neurons led to the specific loss of high-salt concentration avoida…