REQUIREMENT FOR A PHOSPHOLIPASE-C IN ODOR RESPONSE - OVERLAP BETWEEN OLFACTION AND VISION IN DROSOPHILA

A central problem in sensory system biology is the identification of t he signal transduction pathways used in different sensory modalities. Genetic analysis of transduction mutants provides a means of studying in vivo the contributions of different pathways. This report shows tha t odorant response in one olfactory organ of Drosophila melanogaster d epends on the norpA phospholipase C (EC 3.1.4.3) gene, providing evide nce for use of the inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate (IP3) signal transduct ion pathway. Since the norpA gene is also essential to phototransducti on, this work demonstrates overlap in the genetic and molecular underp innings of vision and olfaction. Genetic and molecular data also indic ate that some olfactory information flows through a pathway which does not depend on norpA.