Transgenic labeling of taste receptor cells in model fish under the control of the 5′-upstream region of medaka phospholipase C-beta 2 gene

Vertebrate taste receptor cells express signaling molecules such as taste receptors and effectors to convert taste stimuli to inner cellular signals. Phospholipase C-β2 (PLC-β2) is an effector enzyme that is necessary to transduce taste signals in the mouse. It was shown that a subset of the plc-β2 expressing cells also express taste receptor molecules, T1Rs or T2Rs, in mammals and fish. To label plc-β2 expressing cells in the model fish species, we constructed a transgene by linking the 5′-upstream region of the medaka plc-β2 gene to a green fluorescent protein (GFP) gene. The resulting transgenic medaka exhibited GFP signals in taste buds of the lips and the pharyngeal region. Detailed observation revealed that the GFP signals were in a subpopulation of taste bud cells, and co-localized with the transcript of endogenous plc-β2 gene. Zebrafish introduced with the same transgene showed GFP signals in a subpopulation of taste bud cells of the lips and the pharyngeal region as in the case of medaka. This is the first report of successful labeling of taste receptor cells in two model fish species under the control of the plc-β2 promoter. This promoter will be a useful genetic tool to study the vertebrate taste system in general.