dc.creator | Pask, Gregory Mark | |
dc.date.accessioned | 2020-08-21T21:02:51Z | |
dc.date.available | 2015-02-21 | |
dc.date.issued | 2013-02-21 | |
dc.identifier.uri | https://etd.library.vanderbilt.edu/etd-02212013-100311 | |
dc.identifier.uri | http://hdl.handle.net/1803/10602 | |
dc.description.abstract | Insects are able to detect a wide range of volatiles through a family of cell-surface odorant receptors (ORs), which are activated by specific odorants and relay the signal to the brain. Insect ORs function as heteromultimeric complexes consisting of an odorant-specific OR and a conserved coreceptor, Orco. Using a small molecule screen, a compound named VUAA1 was identified and characterized as an Orco agonist across several insect species. VUAA1 also served as a powerful tool in insect research to examine the structure/function relationship of several heteromeric OR complexes. In addition, a class of amiloride derivatives was identified as potent OR channel blockers and also revealed differences in function among several ORs. Finally, the molecular receptive range (MRR) of a candidate sugar-feeding receptor in Anopheles gambiae was determined and revealed aspects of the odorant-OR interaction. These studies have elucidated several aspects of insect OR function, as well as provide powerful research tools for future studies in insect olfaction. | |
dc.format.mimetype | application/pdf | |
dc.subject | insect | |
dc.subject | chemosensation | |
dc.subject | olfaction | |
dc.title | Exploring the molecular mechanisms of insect odorant receptors | |
dc.type | dissertation | |
dc.contributor.committeeMember | Aurelio Galli | |
dc.contributor.committeeMember | Douglas McMahon | |
dc.contributor.committeeMember | Laurence Zwiebel | |
dc.contributor.committeeMember | Dave Piston | |
dc.type.material | text | |
thesis.degree.name | PHD | |
thesis.degree.level | dissertation | |
thesis.degree.discipline | Biological Sciences | |
thesis.degree.grantor | Vanderbilt University | |
local.embargo.terms | 2015-02-21 | |
local.embargo.lift | 2015-02-21 | |
dc.contributor.committeeChair | Terry Page | |