Scaffolding by MUPP1 regulates odorant-mediated signaling in olfactory sensory neurons

Abstract

The olfactory signal transduction cascade transforms odor information into electrical signals by a cAMP-based amplification mechanism. The mechanisms underlying the very precise temporal and spatial organization of the relevant signaling components remains poorly understood. Here, we report that co-immunoprecipitation experiments identified a macromolecular assembly of signal transduction components in mouse olfactory neurons, organized via MUPP1. Disruption of the PDZ signaling complex through an inhibitory peptide strongly impaired odor responses and changed the activation kinetics of olfactory sensory neurons. In addition, our experiments demonstrated that response termination is dependent on PDZ-based scaffolding. These findings provide new insights into the functional organization and regulation of olfactory signal transduction.