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Exploring the Role of LUSH Pheromones in Drosophila and Its Implications Beyond

This research delves into the critical functions of the LUSH protein in the olfactory system of Drosophila, focusing on its role in detecting and responding to pheromones such as 11-cis-vaccenyl acetate (cVA). The study highlights significant findings from past studies, particularly the impact of LUSH mutations on olfactory behavior and sensitivity. Additionally, it draws attention to the serious global health issue of malaria, which disproportionately affects children in Africa, underscoring the need for further research in both biological sciences and public health.

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Exploring the Role of LUSH Pheromones in Drosophila and Its Implications Beyond

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  1. LUSH PHEROMONE Manhasset Science Research Jillian Wong

  2. NEED • 2006- 881,000 people died from malaria • 91% of those were children in Africa, and here was an estimated 247 million cases globally http://www.cdc.gov/Features/dsMalariaSurveillance/

  3. NEED • 2004- 300 million people got sick, and 3 million died from malaria-most of them children http://www.cdc.gov/Features/dsMalariaSurveillance/dsMalariaSurveillance_450px.gif

  4. Knowledge Base • Pheromones- a chemical substance secreted by many animal species that alter behavior • cVA- drosophila pheromoneDrosophila, 11-cis-vaccenyl • acetate (cVA), mediates a variety of behaviors http://student.biology.arizona.edu/honors2006/group09/Drosophila_melanogaster.jpg

  5. Knowledge Base • Lush mutants are defective for the avoidance behavior to high concentrations of alcohol Structure of ethanol http://hood.eas.asu.edu/che211/wiki/images/thumb/a/a7/Ethanol_Structure.jpg/180px-Ethanol_Structure.jpg http://www.daneshema.com/upload/mayor/upload/image/technology_engineering/chemistry/article1/Ethanol_structure.png

  6. Knowledge Base The Lush protein is needed in the detection, discrimination, and perception of volatile odors Figure 2: X-ray Crystal Structure of LUSH-cVA complex. The VA is completely enveloped within the protein. http://www.uccc.info/for-healthcare-professional/cancer-center/cores/structural-biology/structural-biology.aspx

  7. Knowledge Base http://www.nsls.bnl.gov/newsroom/science/2004/images/01-Jones-figure1.jpg Fig. 1. a Surface representation of key residues in the LUSH alcohol-binding pocket. The pocket is lined with hydrophobic residues with the exception of Thr57 and Ser52, which form concerted hydrogen bonds with the alcohol. Ethanol is shown in a stick representation. The hydrogen bonds between the alscohol and the hydroxyl groups of Thr57 and Ser52 are shown as yellow dotted lines.

  8. Knowledge Base http://vosshall.rockefeller.edu/reprints/VosshallStensmyrNeuron05.pdf (A) Schematic of the Drosophila olfactory system. The distal tip of the third antennal segment is densely covered with olfactory sensilla (inset 1). Transverse section through a T1 trichoid sensillum. OSN, olfactory sensory neuron; L, sensillum lymph; OR, odorant receptor; OBP, odorantbinding protein (inset 2). B) Electrophysiological recordings from T1 OSNs in wild-type flies show responses to the pheromone 11-cis vaccenyl acetate that are absent in lush mutants. Mutant flies also show a drastic decrease (400-fold) in spontaneous spiking activity.

  9. Literature Review • Pingxi Xu- A Drosophila OBP Required for Pheromone Signaling • Purpose- to determine the role of OBP in vivo by examining the Drosophila mutant LUSH • Found that LUSH mutants are defective for the detection of VA

  10. Literature Review • Dean P. Smith- A Pheromone Receptor Mediates 11-cis-Vaccenyl Acetate-Induced Responses in Drosophila • LUSH are also required in non-T1 neurons misexpressing the receptor to respond to VA. S • Sensitivity of T1 neurons to VA requires LUSH, an extracellular odorant-binding protein (OBP76a) present in the sensillum lymph bathing trichoid olfactory neuron dendrites

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