(050505 revised, 050505 created)
Ono H, Yoshikawa H. (2004)
Identification of amine receptors from a swallowtail butterfly, Papilio xuthus L.: cloning and mRNA localization in foreleg chemosensory organ for recognition of host plants.
Insect Biochem Mol Biol. 2004 Dec;34(12):1247-56.
JT Biohistory Research Hall, Laboratory Sector, 1-1, Murasaki-cho, Takatsuki, Osaka 569-1126, Japan.
The swallowtail butterfly, Papilio xuthus L., feeds exclusively on members of the plant family, Rutaceae. Female butterflies lay eggs in response to specific chemicals contained in their host plants. They perceive a variety of polar compounds as oviposition stimulants through the tarsal chemosensilla of the foreleg by drumming upon the leaf surface. Some biogenic amine analogs have been characterized as oviposition stimulants. We have cloned three amine receptors, serotonin, tyramine, and dopamine, from cDNA derived from foreleg tarsus of P. xuthus, and determined structures of both cDNA and genomic genes. The phenylethylamine (tyramine and dopamine) receptors were expressed preferentially in brain and chemosensory organs. Moreover, we observed the localized expression of dopamine receptors at the base of tarsal chemosensilla by in situ hybridization. These results suggest that amine receptors in tarsal chemosensilla have a functional role in chemoreception for host plant recognition.
Papilio xuthus: English name: Chinese yellow swallowtail (Citrus swallowtail, Asian swallowtail). Japanese name: Ageha (Nami-ageha) ƒiƒ~ƒAƒQƒn.
tarsal chemosensilla:
Yoshikawa Labo. : Coevolutionary interaction between insects and plants