ANO2 is the cilial calcium-activated chloride channel that may mediate olfactory amplification

Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2009 Jul 14;106(28):11776-81. doi: 10.1073/pnas.0903304106. Epub 2009 Jun 26.

Abstract

For vertebrate olfactory signal transduction, a calcium-activated chloride conductance serves as a major amplification step. However, the molecular identity of the olfactory calcium-activated chloride channel (CaCC) is unknown. Here we report a proteomic screen for cilial membrane proteins of mouse olfactory sensory neurons (OSNs) that identified all the known olfactory transduction components as well as Anoctamin 2 (ANO2). Ano2 transcripts were expressed specifically in OSNs in the olfactory epithelium, and ANO2::EGFP fusion protein localized to the OSN cilia when expressed in vivo using an adenoviral vector. Patch-clamp analysis revealed that ANO2, when expressed in HEK-293 cells, forms a CaCC and exhibits channel properties closely resembling the native olfactory CaCC. Considering these findings together, we propose that ANO2 constitutes the olfactory calcium-activated chloride channel.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Anoctamins
  • Cell Line
  • Chloride Channels / metabolism*
  • Cilia / metabolism
  • Humans
  • Membrane Proteins / metabolism*
  • Mice
  • Olfactory Receptor Neurons / metabolism
  • Patch-Clamp Techniques
  • Proteomics
  • Signal Transduction / physiology*
  • Smell / physiology*

Substances

  • ANO2 protein, mouse
  • Anoctamins
  • Chloride Channels
  • Membrane Proteins