Molecular and pharmacological properties of insect biogenic amine receptors: Lessons from Drosophila melanogaster and Apis mellifera

In the central nervous system (CNS) of both vertebrates and invertebrates, biogenic amines are important neuroactive molecules. Physiologically, they can act as neurotransmitters, neuromodulators, or neurohormones. Biogenic a mines control and regulate various vital functions including circadian rhyt hms, endocrine secretion, cardiovascular control, emotions, as well as lear ning and memory. In insects, amines like dopamine, tyramine, octopamine, se rotonin, and histamine exert their effects by binding to specific membrane proteins that primarily belong to the superfamily of G protein-coupled rece ptors. Especially in Drosophila melanogaster and Apis mellifera considerabl e progress has been achieved during the last few years towards the understa nding of the functional role of these receptors and their intracellular sig naling systems. In this review, the present knowledge on the biochemical, m olecular, and pharmacological properties of biogenic amine receptors from D rosophila and Apis will be summarized. Arch. Insect Biochem. Physiol. 48:13 -38,2001. (C) 2001 Wiley-Liss, Inc.