The cilium, the sensing centre for the cell, displays an extensive repertoire of receptors for various cell signalling processes. The dynamic nature of ciliary signalling indicates that the ciliary entry of receptors and associated proteins must be regulated and conditional. To understand this process, we studied the ciliary localisation of the odour-receptor coreceptor (Orco), a seven-pass transmembrane protein essential for insect olfaction. Little is known about when and how Orco gets into the cilia. Here, using Drosophila melanogaster, we show that the bulk of Orco selectively enters the cilia on adult olfactory sensory neurons in two discrete, one-hour intervals after eclosion. A conditional loss of heterotrimeric kinesin-2 during this period reduces the electrophysiological response to odours and affects olfactory behaviour. We further show that Orco binds to the C-terminal tail fragments of the heterotrimeric kinesin-2 motor, which is required to transfer Orco from the ciliary base to the outer segment and maintain within an approximately four-micron stretch at the distal portion of the ciliary outer-segment. The Orco transport was not affected by the loss of critical intraflagellar transport components, IFT172/Oseg2 and IFT88/NompB, respectively, during the adult stage. These results highlight a novel developmental regulation of seven-pass transmembrane receptor transport into the cilia and indicate that ciliary signalling is both developmentally and temporally regulated.

Cilium, a tiny microtubule‐based cellular appendage critical for cell signalling and physiology, displays a large variety of receptors. The composition and turnover of ciliary lipids and receptors determine cell behaviour. Due to the exclusion of ribosomal machinery and limited membrane area, a cilium needs adaptive logistics to actively reconstitute the lipid and receptor compositions during development and differentiation. How is this dynamicity generated? Here, we examine whether, along with the Intraflagellar‐Transport, targeted changes in sector‐wise lipid composition could control the receptor localisation and functions in the cilia. We discuss how an interplay between ciliary lipid composition, localised lipid modification, and receptor function could contribute to cilia growth and signalling. We argue that lipid modification at the cell‐cilium interface could generate an added thrust for a selective exchange of membrane lipids and the transmembrane and membrane‐associated proteins.

Ciliary localisation of the odour receptor coreceptor (Orco) is essential for insect olfaction. Here, we show that in the Drosophila antenna Orco enters the bipartite cilia expressed on the olfactory sensory neurons in two discrete, one-hour intervals after the adult eclosion. Genetic analyses suggest that the heterotrimeric kinesin-2 is essential for Orco transfer from the base into the cilium. Using in vitro pulldown assay, we show that Orco binds to the C-terminal tail domain of KLP68D, the β-subunit of kinesin-2. Reduced Orco enrichment decreases electrophysiological response to odours and loss of olfactory behaviour. Finally, we show that kinesin-2 function is necessary to compact Orco to an approximately four-micron stretch at the distal portion of the ciliary outer-segment bearing singlet microtubule filaments. Altogether, these results highlight an independent, tissue-specific regulation of Orco entry at specific developmental stages and its localisation to a ciliary subdomain by kinesin-2.Graphical AbstractAuthor SummaryJana, Jain, Dutta et al., show that the odour receptor coreceptor only enters the cilia expressed on olfactory sensory neurons at specified developmental stages requiring heterotrimeric kinesin-2. The motor also helps to localise the coreceptor in a compact, environment-exposed domain at the ciliary outer-segment.Highlights:Odorant receptor coreceptor (Orco) selectively enters the olfactory cilia.Orco localises in a specific domain at the distal segment of the olfactory cilium.Orco/ORx binds to the C-terminal tail domain of the kinesin-2β motor subunit.Orco entry across the transition zone and its positioning require Kinesin-2.