Honeybee locomotion is impaired by Am-CaV3 low voltage-activated Ca2+ channel antagonist

• Published in: Scientific reports 2017-02, Vol.7 (1), p.41782, Article 41782
• Main Authors: Rousset, M., Collet, C., Cens, T., Bastin, F., Raymond, V., Massou, I., Menard, C., Thibaud, J.-B., Charreton, M., Vignes, M., Chahine, M., Sandoz, J. C., Charnet, P.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: 13/106; 14/63; 631/378/340; 631/92/436; 64/114; 9/74; Bees; Calcium channels; Calcium channels (T-type); Calcium channels (voltage-gated); Caveolin-1; Excitability; Humanities and Social Sciences; Insecticides; Locomotion; multidisciplinary; Myocytes; Neural coding; Neurotoxicity; Oocytes; Physiological responses; Science; Science (multidisciplinary); Toxicity; Transducers
• ISSN: 2045-2322; 2045-2322
• DOI: 10.1038/srep41782

Voltage‐gated Ca 2+ channels are key transducers of cellular excitability and participate in several crucial physiological responses. In vertebrates, 10 Ca 2+ channel genes, grouped in 3 families ( Ca V 1, Ca V 2 and Ca V 3 ), have been described and characterized. Insects possess only one member of each family. These genes have been isolated in a limited number of species and very few have been characterized although, in addition to their crucial role, they may represent a collateral target for neurotoxic insecticides. We have isolated the 3 genes coding for the 3 Ca 2+ channels expressed in Apis mellifera . This work provides the first detailed characterization of the honeybee T-type Ca V 3 Ca 2+ channel and demonstrates the low toxicity of inhibiting this channel. Comparing Ca 2+ currents recorded in bee neurons and myocytes with Ca 2+ currents recorded in Xenopus oocytes expressing the honeybee Ca V 3 gene suggests native expression in bee muscle cells only. High‐voltage activated Ca 2+ channels could be recorded in the somata of different cultured bee neurons. These functional data were confirmed by in situ hybridization, immunolocalization and in vivo analysis of the effects of a Ca V 3 inhibitor. The biophysical and pharmacological characterization and the tissue distribution of Ca V 3 suggest a role in honeybee muscle function.