Most motile bacteria sense and respond to their environment through a transmembrane chemoreceptor array whose structure and function have been well-studied, but many species also contain an additional cluster of chemoreceptors in their cytoplasm. Although the cytoplasmic cluster is essential for normal chemotaxis in some organisms, its structure and function remain unknown. Here we use electron...

Respiratory activity is controlled by inputs from the peripheral and central chemoreceptors. Since overactivity of the carotid bodies, the main peripheral chemoreceptors, is linked to the pathophysiology of disparate metabolic and cardiovascular diseases, carotid body denervation (CBD) has been proposed as a potential treatment. However, long-term effects of CBD on the respiratory rhythm and re...

We review the substantial recent progress made in understanding the underlying mechanisms controlling breathing and the applicability of these findings to selected human diseases. Emphasis is placed on the sites of central respiratory rhythm and pattern generation as well as newly described functions of the carotid chemoreceptors, the integrative nature of the central chemoreceptors, and the in...

The bacterium Escherichia coli chemotaxes by utilizing a biased random walk towards a nutrient source (or away from a toxin source) [1–4]. The swimming path consists of runs, i.e. straight swimming driven by coherent motion of flagella, and tumbles characterized by lack of net movement and random reorientation of the cell. The molecular components of the chemotaxis signaling pathway and relatio...

We have demonstrated that a complex of the proteins CheA (CheAL and CheAS) and CheW can be isolated and constitutes a functional unit that responds to the signaling state of the chemoreceptors. The autophosphorylation rate of CheAL is much greater when CheAL and CheAS are complexed with CheW. Moreover, the presence of mutant chemoreceptors that cause cells to tumble increases this rate. At wild...

The identification of receptors that detect environmental stimuli lays a foundation for exploring the mechanisms and neural circuits underlying sensation. The mouse vomeronasal organ (VNO), which detects pheromones and other semiochemicals, has 2 known families of chemoreceptors, V1Rs and V2Rs. Here, we report a third family of mouse VNO receptors comprising 5 of 7 members of the formyl peptide...

This study used a decerebrate and artificially-ventilated preparation to examine the roles of various afferent inputs in breathing pattern formation in the tambaqui (Colossoma macropomum). Three general breathing patterns were observed: (1) regular breathing; (2) frequency cycling and (3) episodic breathing. Under normoxic, normocapnic conditions, 50% of control fish exhibited regular continuou...