Wednesday, October 1, 2008

Allatotropin receptor found!

Yamanaka N, Yamamoto S, Zitnan D, Watanabe K, Kawada T, Satake H, Kaneko Y, Hiruma K, Tanaka Y, Shinoda T, Kataoka H.
Neuropeptide receptor transcriptome reveals unidentified neuroendocrine pathways.
PLoS ONE. 2008 Aug 25;3(8):e3048.
PMID: 18725956 [PubMed - in process]
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Dr. Tetsuro Shinoda (National institute of Agrobiological Sciences, Japan) and Dr. Hiroshi Kataoka (University of Tokyo, Japan) reported an exiting finding last month in PLOS one, in which they show an identification of the first allatotropin receptor from silkworm, Bombyx mori. Allatotropin and allatostatin are two neuropeptides that up- and down-regulate juvenile hormone bisynthesis in corpora allata. The receptors for these neuropeptides belong to G protein-coupled receptor superfamily, the largest gene family.

What impressing me is their straightforward strategy. First of all, they got all homologues neuropeptide GPCRs using bioinformatics tools. Then comprehensive cloining for all neuropeptide GPCR genes was performed. Afterward, they used tissue specific expression analysis to narrow down candidate genes that are only expressed in certain tissues, such as corpora allata-corpora cardiaca complex. I think this is a critical step. Then functional analysis using cell-based assay to test the interaction between ligand and each receptors. With lucky or wisdom, they got a receptor for allatotropin,a receptor for allatostatin,a receptor for ecdysis triggering hormone. Wow, that is perfect. Hope I also can do the same thing and find one JH receptor~~~