@article{VerlindenVleugelsMarchaletal.2010, author = {Verlinden, Heleen and Vleugels, Rut and Marchal, Elisabeth and Badisco, Liesbeth and Tobback, Julie and Pfl{\"u}ger, Hans-Joachim and Blenau, Wolfgang and Vanden Broeck, Jozef}, title = {The cloning, phylogenetic relationship and distribution pattern of two new putative GPCR-type octopamine receptors in the desert locust (Schistocerca gregaria)}, issn = {0022-1910}, doi = {10.1016/j.jinsphys.2010.03.003}, year = {2010}, abstract = {The biogenic amine octopamine functions as a neuromodulator, neurotransmitter and neurohormone in insect nervous systems. It plays a prominent role in modulating multiple physiological and behavioural processes in invertebrates. Octopamine exerts its effects by binding to specific receptor proteins that belong to the superfamily of G protein-coupled receptors. We found two partial sequences of putative octopamine receptors in the desert locust Schistocerca gregaria (SgOct alpha R and SgOct beta R) and investigated their transcript levels in males and females of both phases and during the transition between long-term solitarious and gregarious locusts. The transcript levels of SgOctaR are the highest in the central nervous system, whereas those of SgOct beta R are the highest in the flight muscles, followed by the central nervous system. Both SgOct alpha R and SgOct beta R show higher transcript levels in long-term gregarious locusts as compared to solitarious ones. The rise of SgOct beta R transcript levels already appears during the first 4 h of gregarisation, during which also the behavioural changes take place.}, language = {en} }