Abstract
In Chap. 4, we discussed the working mechanisms of several fly mechanoreceptors. These mechanoreceptors have developed striking structural-mechanical features that couple the environmental signals to the proximity of the mechanosensory cells. These proximal stimuli are then transformed by a transduction apparatus, often associated with the cell membrane, to the electrochemical signals in cells, which then initiates the neuronal impulses. In this chapter, we will discuss the core components of mechanotransduction apparatus at the molecular level, including the mechanotransduction channel and the gating spring. Two bona fide mechanotransduction channels are identified in Drosophila melanogaster, i.e., NompC/TRPN and DmPiezo. One molecular candidate for gating spring is identified, i.e., the ankyrin-repeat domain of NompC. In this chapter, we will introduce the structure, function, and physiology of these molecules and discuss their working mechanisms in fly mechanoreceptors.
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Appendix
Appendix
Sequence alignment of five NompC homologues. The alignment of the sequences and the construction of the phylogenetic tree are carried out by the MEGA (version 7) software suite. The sequences are aligned by the MUSCLE algorithm with default parameters. The aligned sequences are visualized using Jalview software.
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Liang, X., Sun, L., Liu, Z. (2017). Drosophila Mechanotransduction Channels. In: Mechanosensory Transduction in Drosophila Melanogaster. SpringerBriefs in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology. Springer, Singapore. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-10-6526-2_5
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-10-6526-2_5
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