G protein-coupled receptors as candidates for modulation and activation of the chemical senses in decapod crustaceans

Abstract

Many studies have characterized class A GPCRs in crustaceans; however, their expression in crustacean chemosensory organs has yet to be detailed. Class A GPCRs comprise several subclasses mediating diverse functions. In this study, using sequence homology, we classified all putative class A GPCRs in two chemosensory organs (antennular lateral flagellum [LF] and walking leg dactyls) and brain of four species of decapod crustaceans (Caribbean spiny lobster Panulirus argus, American lobster Homarus americanus, red-swamp crayfish Procambarus clarkii, and blue crab Callinectes sapidus). We identified 333 putative class A GPCRs– 83 from P. argus, 81 from H. americanus, 102 from P. clarkii, and 67 from C. sapidus–which belong to five distinct subclasses. The numbers of sequences for each subclass in the four decapod species are (in parentheses): opsins (19), small-molecule receptors including biogenic amine receptors (83), neuropeptide receptors (90), leucine-rich repeat-containing GPCRs (LGRs) (24), orphan receptors (117). Most class A GPCRs are predominately expressed in the brain; however, we identified multiple transcripts enriched in the LF and several in the dactyl. In total, we found 55 sequences with higher expression in the chemosensory organs relative to the brain across three decapod species. We also identified novel transcripts enriched in the LF including a metabotropic histamine receptor and numerous orphan receptors. Our work establishes expression patterns for class A GPCRs in the chemosensory organs of crustaceans, providing insight into molecular mechanisms mediating neurotransmission, neuromodulation, and possibly chemoreception.