Skip to main content
. Author manuscript; available in PMC: 2014 Mar 19.
Published in final edited form as: Life Sci. 2012 Aug 1;92(8-9):394–403. doi: 10.1016/j.lfs.2012.07.029

Table 1.

Properties of Drosophila Transient Receptor Potential (TRP) channels.

TRP Channels with known sensory roles
Sub
Family		 Channel Abbrev. Selectivity
PCa/PNa 		Physiological modes of activation Sensory Functions
TRPC Transient
Receptor
Potential		 TRP 25–40 Gq/PLC signaling, PUFA, H+

  • Phototransduction
TRP-Like TRPL nonselec.
cation		 Gq/PLC signaling, PUFA

  • Phototransduction

  • Cold sensation
TRPγ TRPγ nonselec.
cation		 Gq/PLC signaling, PUFA -
TRPA TRPA1 TRPA1 - Heat (>26°C) reactive electrophiles
(AITC, NMM, CA)

Temp (18–24°C, Rh1/PLC signaling)
arist. acid (Gq/PLC sig.),
citronellal (Gq/PLC sig.),
light

  • Warm temperature sensation

  • Avoidance of aversive non-volatile irritants

  • Comfortable temperature sensation

  • Avoidance of aversive tastants

  • Avoidance of aversive odorants

  • Avoidance of bright light

  • Avoidance of noxious heat

  • Avoidance of mechanical stimulation
Painless Pain 40 Heat (~39–42°C)

  • Avoidance of noxious heat

  • Avoidance of mechanical stimulation Avoidance of dry environments

  • Gravity sensation
Pyrexia Pyx 0.7 Heat (~40°C)

  • Noxious heat resistance

  • Gravity sensation
Waterwitch Wtrw - -

  • Humid air detection
TRPN No Mechanoreceptor
Potential C		 NOMPC - Mechanical stimulation

  • Light touch

  • Locomotion

  • Hearing
TRPV Inactive Iav 2.8 Hypo-osmotic solution

  • Locomotion

  • Hearing

  • Gravity sensation

  • Cold sensation
Nanchung Nan - Hypo-osmotic solution

  • Locomotion

  • Hearing

  • Gravity sensation

  • Dry air detection
       TRP Channels without known sensory roles
Sub
family		 Channel Abbrev. Selectivity
PCa/PNa 		Physiological modes of activation Functions
TRPM TRPM TRPM - -

  • Mg2+ and Zn2+ homeostasis
TRPP Almost there Amo - -

  • Sperm storage
TRPML TRP
Mucolipin		 TRPML - -

  • Locomotion

  • Autophagy

  • Clearance of apoptotic cells

Abbreviations: AITC, allyl isothiocyanate; arist. acid, aristolochic acid; NMM, N-methyl maleimide; CA, cinnamaldehyde; PLC, phospholipase C; PUFA, polyunsaturated fatty acid; Rh1, Rhodopsin 1.