IMMUNOLOCALIZATION OF PHEROMONE-BINDING PROTEIN AND GENERAL ODORANT-BINDING PROTEIN IN OLFACTORY SENSILLA OF THE SILK MOTHS ANTHERAEA AND BOMBYX

Citation
Ra. Steinbrecht et al., IMMUNOLOCALIZATION OF PHEROMONE-BINDING PROTEIN AND GENERAL ODORANT-BINDING PROTEIN IN OLFACTORY SENSILLA OF THE SILK MOTHS ANTHERAEA AND BOMBYX, Cell and tissue research, 282(2), 1995, pp. 203-217
Citations number
64
Categorie Soggetti
Cell Biology
Journal title
ISSN journal
0302766X
Volume
282
Issue
2
Year of publication
1995
Pages
203 - 217
Database
ISI
SICI code
0302-766X(1995)282:2<203:IOPPAG>2.0.ZU;2-C
Abstract
The distribution of odorant-binding proteins among olfactory sensilla of three moth species was studied by immune-electron microscopy. Two p olyclonal antisera were used in a post-embedding labelling protocol on sections of cryo-substituted antennae. The first was directed against the pheromone-binding protein (PBP) of Antheraea polyphemus, the seco nd against the general odorant-binding protein (GOBP) of the same spec ies. Immunoblots showed that these antisera were highly specific; both antisera did, however, cross-react with related proteins in the relat ed species A. pernyi, and in the bombycid moth B. mori. PBP and GOBP w ere localized only in olfactory sensilla trichodea and sensilla basico nica, the principal site being the sensillum lymph surrounding the sen sory dendrites. In the males of all three species, the pheromone-sensi tive long sensilla trichodea exclusively contained PBP. The majority o f the sensilla basiconica in both sexes in these species contained GOB P; these sensilla are known to respond to plant and other 'general' od ours. Some sensilla were not labelled by either antiserum; presumably, these held an odorant-binding protein of a different subfamily. Never were PBP and GOBP co-localized in the same sensillum. Two observation s deserve special attention: (1) PBP was also found in a few sensilla in females, and (2) in B. mori, where the long sensilla trichodea have a different functional specificity in males (pheromone) and females ( plant odours), the expression of the odorant-binding protein (males: P BP; females: GOBP) is similarly different. The distinct and complex di stribution pattern of odorant-binding proteins supports the notion tha t these proteins participate in stimulus recognition.