ADENYLYL-CYCLASE ACTIVITY IN TURTLE VOMERONASAL AND OLFACTORY EPITHELIUM

Many vertebrates have two olfactory systems such as the main olfactory organ and the vomeronasal organ. To compare the transduction mechanis m in both systems, we measured adenylyl cyclase activity in turtle vom eronasal and olfactory epithelium preparations. Whereas forskolin and GTP induced cAMP accumulation in vomeronasal preparations, common odor ants, which induced cAMP accumulation in olfactory preparations and el ectrophysiological responses in vomeronasal organs, did not induce cAM P accumulation in vomeronasal preparations. The present results sugges t that the cAMP-mediated transduction pathway in the vomeronasal organ is not involved in transduction for common odorants and probably play s a role in perception of specific chemosignals. (C) 1996 Academic Pre ss, Inc.