Adenylyl cyclase activity in turtle vomeronasal and olfactory epithelium

Many vertebrates have two olfactory systems such as the main olfactory organ and the vomeronasal organ. To compare the transduction mechanism in both systems, we measured adenylyl cyclase activity in turtle vomeronasal and olfactory epithelium preparations. Whereas forskolin and GTP induced cAMP accumulation in vomeronasal preparations, common odorants, which induced cAMP accumulation in olfactory preparations and electrophysiological responses in vomeronasal organs, did not induce cAMP accumulation in vomeronasal preparations. The present results suggest that the cAMP-mediated transduction pathway in the vomeronasal organ is not involved in transduction for common odorants and probably plays a role in perception of specific chemosignals.