Mechanotransduction Channel Piezo is Widely Expressed in the Spider, Cupiennius Salei, Mechanosensory Neurons and Central Nervous Systems

Abstract

Mechanosensory neurons use mechanotransduction (MET) ion channels to detect mechanical forces and displacements. Proteins that function as MET channels have appeared multiple times during evolution and occur in at least four different families; the DEG/ENaC and TRP channels, and the TMC and Piezo proteins. We found twelve putative members of MET channel families in two spider transcriptomes, but detected only one, the Piezo protein, by in situ hybridization in their mechanosensory neurons. In contrast, probes for orthologs of TRP, ENaC or TMC genes that code MET channels in other species did not produce any signals in these cells. An antibody against C. salei Piezo detected the protein in all parts of their mechanosensory cells and in many neurons of the CNS. Unspecific blockers of MET channels, Ruthenium Red and GsMTx4, had no effect on the mechanically activated currents of the mechanosensory VS‑3 neurons, but the latter toxin reduced action potential firing when these cells were stimulated electrically. It is possible that the Piezo protein contributes to mechanosensory transduction in spider mechanosensilla, but it must have other functions in peripheral and central neurons.

Genetic mechanisms modulating behaviour through plastic chemosensory responses in insects

“…An involvement of ppk genes in modulating neural and behavioural responsiveness might not be restricted to D. melanogaster . Ppk orthologues are transcribed across invertebrates including in the antennae of Rhodnius prolixus bugs (Latorre‐Estivalis et al, 2017 ), in multiple sensory tissues of Aedes aegypti and A. albopictus mosquitos (Lombardo et al, 2017 ; Matthews et al, 2016 ; Tallon et al, 2020 ), the heads of S. gregaria locusts (Bakkali & Martin‐Blaszquez, 2018 ), the nervous system of the spider Cupiennius salei (Johnson et al, 2020 ), and in Caenorhabditis elegans , DEG/ENaC channels are involved in the detection of mechanical stimuli (Goodman & Sengupta, 2019 ).…”