Isolation and characterization of a receptor candidate for L-DOPA in C.elegans

我们已经确定了一个候选受体左旋多巴（CeDOPAR）在秀丽隐杆线虫。CeDOPAR与G蛋白偶联受体具有同源性。在表达CeDOPAR的非洲爪蟾卵母细胞中，L-DOPA（pM量级）和L-theo-DOPS（mM量级）均诱导内向电流。L-DOPA拮抗剂DOPA-CHE可抑制DOPS诱导的反应。CeDOPAR特异性抗体的免疫组化结果表明，CeDOPAR的表达在不同时期受到调节。在成虫中，CeDOPAR位于M1附近，被认为控制蠕虫的咽部泵送。在含有多巴的琼脂平板上，蠕虫的泵血率比在对照琼脂平板上显著增加。针对CeDOPAR的RNAi抑制了对DOPA的泵送反应，从而表明CeDOPAR是介导线虫中DOPA诱导的行为的候选受体。我们现在正在寻找CeDOPAR的各种配体。

We have identified a candidate receptor for L-DOPA (CeDOPAR) in C.elegans. CeDOPAR share homology with G protein-coupled receptor. In CeDOPAR-expressed Xenopus laevis oocyte, both L-DOPA (pM order) and L-theo-DOPS (mM order) induced inward current. DOPS-induced response was inhibited by DOPA-CHE, an antagonist for L-DOPA, The immunohistochemistry with specific antibody raised against CeDOPAR, suggests that CeDOPAR expression was regulated at different stages. In adult, CeDOPAR was localized near M1 that is thought to control pharyngeal pumping of the worm. On the dopa-containing agar plate, pumping rate of worm was significantly increased when compared that on control agar plate. RNAi for CeDOPAR suppressed the pumping response to DOPA, thereby indicating that CeDOPAR was a candidate receptor mediating the DOPA-induced behavior in nematode. We are now searching various ligands for CeDOPAR.