Meeting Abstract
Crustaceans are a large and diverse group of arthropods with varied habitat, morphology, and behavior. Although crustaceans have been effectively used as models for understanding neural mechanisms underlying chemical sensing and control of behavior, a molecular/genetic level of understanding of their chemical senses is significantly lacking, especially compared to recent discoveries for insects. The purpose of this study is to summarize our current knowledge of chemosensory genes in crustaceans. We surveyed open-access databases to identify and compare crustacean genes for chemoreceptor proteins, including ionotropic receptors (IRs), odorant/olfactory receptors (ORs), gustatory receptors (GRs), and trace amino acid receptors (TAARs), and for perireceptor proteins, including odorant binding proteins (OBPs) and chemosensory proteins. Data are available for representative species from phylogenetically and ecologically diverse crustacean groups, including cladocerans (Daphnia spp.), copepods (Calanus finmarchicus, Caligus rogercresseyi, Acartia pacifica), brachiopods (Artemia franciscana, Triops cancriformis), and decapods (Homarus americanus, Panulirus argus, Coenobita clypeatus, Pagurus bernhardus). We provide a phylogenetic comparison of these chemosensory genes with each other and against those of other major clades, especially insects and other arthropods, nematodes, and vertebrates. Supported by a GSU Brains & Behavior seed grant.
