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High-throughput Analysis of Mammalian Olfactory Receptors: Measurement of Receptor Activation via Luciferase Activity
Published on: June 2, 2014
Olfactory receptor trafficking involves conserved regulatory steps
A A Gimelbrant1, S L Haley, T S McClintock
1Department of Physiology, University of Kentucky Medical Center, Lexington 40536, USA.
The Journal of Biological Chemistry
|November 4, 2000
Summary
Olfactory receptors are challenging to express functionally. Differentiated odora cells, unlike undifferentiated ones, traffic these receptors to the cell surface, a process aided by the ODR-4 protein.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Cell Biology
- Molecular Biology
Background:
- Olfactory receptors (ORs) are notoriously difficult to express functionally in heterologous systems.
- They are often retained in the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) and require specific cellular environments for plasma membrane delivery.
- This trafficking is crucial for understanding olfactory signaling and drug development.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the trafficking mechanisms of olfactory receptors in a novel cell line, odora.
- To compare the trafficking behavior of ORs in undifferentiated versus differentiated odora cells.
- To identify factors that facilitate OR plasma membrane delivery.
Main Methods:
- Utilized the odora cell line, a novel olfactory cell line.
- Employed differentiation protocols to alter odora cell maturation state.
- Investigated receptor localization using microscopy and biochemical assays.
- Assessed the role of the ODR-4 protein in OR trafficking.
Main Results:
- Undifferentiated odora cells retain ORs in the ER, Golgi, and endosomes, but not at the plasma membrane.
- Differentiated odora cells successfully traffic ORs to the plasma membrane.
- Vomeronasal receptors (VN1 type) are also trafficked to the plasma membrane in differentiated odora cells.
- The protein ODR-4 facilitates the trafficking of rat OR U131 in both odora and Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cells.
Conclusions:
- Olfactory receptor trafficking involves at least two steps regulated by cellular maturation.
- Differentiated odora cells provide a valuable model for studying OR trafficking.
- The ODR-4 protein plays a conserved role in facilitating chemosensory receptor plasma membrane delivery.
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