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Antennal carboxylesterases in a moth, structural and functional diversity.

ABSTRACT: Pheromone-degrading enzymes (PDEs) are supposed to be involved in the signal inactivation step within the olfactory sensilla of insects by quickly degrading pheromone molecules. Because esters are widespread insect pheromone components, PDEs belonging to the carboxylesterase (CCE) family have been the most studied. However, only two CCEs were both identified at the molecular level and functionally characterized as PDEs until recently. In the pest moth Spodoptera littoralis, we have identified an unsuspected diversity of antennal CCEs, with a total number of 30 genes. Two CCEs, enriched in antennae and belonging to distinct clades, were shown to present different substrate specificities toward pheromone and plant compounds. A same CCE was also shown to efficiently degrade both pheromone and plant components. Our results suggest that the structural evolution of antennal CCEs reflects their functional diversity and that a complex set of CCE-mediated reactions take place is the olfactory organs of moths.

SUBMITTER: Durand N

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3419116 | biostudies-literature | 2012 May

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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Antennal carboxylesterases in a moth, structural and functional diversity.

Durand Nicolas N Chertemps Thomas T Maïbèche-Coisne Martine M

Communicative & integrative biology 20120501 3

Pheromone-degrading enzymes (PDEs) are supposed to be involved in the signal inactivation step within the olfactory sensilla of insects by quickly degrading pheromone molecules. Because esters are widespread insect pheromone components, PDEs belonging to the carboxylesterase (CCE) family have been the most studied. However, only two CCEs were both identified at the molecular level and functionally characterized as PDEs until recently. In the pest moth Spodoptera littoralis, we have identified an ...[more]

PMID: 22896794

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Project description:Projection-neurons (PNs) within the antennal lobe (AL) of the hawkmoth respond vigorously to odor stimulation, with each vigorous response followed by a ~1 s period of suppression-dubbed the "afterhyperpolarization-phase," or AHP-phase. Prior evidence indicates that this AHP-phase is important for the processing of odors, but the mechanisms underlying this phase and its function remain unknown. We investigate this issue. Beginning with several physiological experiments, we find that pharmacological manipulation of the AL yields surprising results. Specifically, (a) the application of picrotoxin (PTX) lengthens the AHP-phase and reduces PN activity, whereas (b) the application of Bicuculline-methiodide (BIC) reduces the AHP-phase and increases PN activity. These results are curious, as both PTX and BIC are inhibitory-receptor antagonists. To resolve this conundrum, we speculate that perhaps (a) PTX reduces PN activity through a disinhibitory circuit involving a heterogeneous population of local-neurons, and (b) BIC acts to hamper certain intrinsic currents within the PNs that contribute to the AHP-phase. To probe these hypotheses further we build a computational model of the AL and benchmark our model against our experimental observations. We find that, for parameters which satisfy these benchmarks, our model exhibits a particular kind of synchronous activity: namely, "multiple-firing-events" (MFEs). These MFEs are causally-linked sequences of spikes which emerge stochastically, and turn out to have important dynamical consequences for all the experimentally observed phenomena we used as benchmarks. Taking a step back, we extract a few predictions from our computational model pertaining to the real AL: Some predictions deal with the MFEs we expect to see in the real AL, whereas other predictions involve the runaway synchronization that we expect when BIC-application hampers the AHP-phase. By examining the literature we see support for the former, and we perform some additional experiments to confirm the latter. The confirmation of these predictions validates, at least partially, our initial speculation above. We conclude that the AL is poised in a state of high-gain; ready to respond vigorously to even faint stimuli. After each response the AHP-phase functions to prevent runaway synchronization and to "reset" the AL for another odor-specific response.

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Antennal carboxylesterases in a moth, structural and functional diversity.

Publications

Antennal carboxylesterases in a moth, structural and functional diversity.

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