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Characterization of a metabotropic glutamate receptor in the honeybee (Apis mellifera): implications for memory formation

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Invertebrate Neuroscience

Abstract

G-protein-coupled metabotropic glutamate receptors (GPC mGluRs) are important constituents of glutamatergic synapses where they contribute to synaptic plasticity and development. Here we characterised a member of this family in the honeybee. We show that the honeybee genome encodes a genuine mGluR (AmGluRA) that is expressed at low to medium levels in both pupal and adult brains. Analysis of honeybee protein sequence places it within the type 3 GPCR family, which includes mGlu receptors, GABA-B receptors, calcium-sensing receptors, and pheromone receptors. Phylogenetic comparisons combined with pharmacological evaluation in HEK 293 cells transiently expressing AmGluRA show that the honeybee protein belongs to the group II mGluRs. With respect to learning and memory AmGluRA appears to be required for memory formation. Both agonists and antagonists selective against the group II mGluRs impair long-term (24 h) associative olfactory memory formation when applied 1 h before training, but have no effect when injected post-training or pre-testing. Our results strengthen the notion that glutamate is a key neurotransmitter in memory processes in the honeybee.

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Acknowledgments

We thank Paul Helliwell for his invaluable help with beekeeping, Jean-Marc Devaud for initiating the pharmacological analyses and discussions, and Marie-Laure Parmentier for help and advice on pharmacology.

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Author notes

  1. C. Mitri

    Present address: Institut Pasteur, Plateforme CEPIA, 25-28, rue du Dr Roux, 75724, Paris Cedex 15, France

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Visual Sciences and ARC Centre for the Molecular Genetics of Development, Research School of Biological Sciences, The Australian National University, Canberra, ACT 0200, Australia

    R. Kucharski & R. Maleszka

  2. Institut de Génomique Fonctionnelle, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, Unité Mixte de Recherche 5203, 34094, Montpellier Cedex 5, France

    C. Mitri & Y. Grau

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  1. R. Kucharski
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Correspondence to R. Maleszka.

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Kucharski, R., Mitri, C., Grau, Y. et al. Characterization of a metabotropic glutamate receptor in the honeybee (Apis mellifera): implications for memory formation. Invert Neurosci 7, 99–108 (2007). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10158-007-0045-3

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10158-007-0045-3

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