Research Interests

Biochemical and Neuronal Mechanisms Mediating Olfactory Behavior

We are using a combination of genetics, biochemistry, electrophysiology, cell biology, and molecular biology to undertake a molecular dissection of the chemosensory behavior in Drosophila. This relatively simple model system allows us to correlate expression of signal transduction molecules with specific subsets of olfactory neurons so we can understand chemical information processing by the brain. The recent completion of the sequence of the entire Drosophila genome is providing abundant new molecular probes to investigate these processes. Most recently we have become interested in the molecular signaling mechanisms mediating detection and perception of volatile pheromones. A recent postdoctoral fellow, PingXi Xu, was awarded the $25,000 Eppendorf Prize in Neuroscience in 2005 for his work in this area.

Publications

Ronderos, D. and Smith, D.P. (2009). Activation of the T1 neuronal circuit is necessary and sufficient to induce sexually dimorphic behaviors in Drosophila. J. Neuroscience, 30(7) 2595-2599.

Ronderos, D.S. and Smith, D.P. (2009). Diverse signaling mechanisms mediate volatile odorant detection in Drosophila. Fly, 3:4 1-8.

Laughlin, J.D., Ha, T.S., Jones, D.M.N., and Smith, D.P. (2008). Activation of Pheromone-Sensitive Neurons is Mediated by Conformational Activation of Pheromone-Binding Protein. Cell, 133: 1255-1265.

Jin, X, Ha, T.S. and Smith, D.P. (2008). SNMP is a signaling component required for pheromone sensitivity in Drosophila. PNAS USA, 105:10996-1001.

Ha, T-S and Smith D.P. (2006). "A pheromone receptor mediates 11-cis vaccenyl acetate responses in Drosophila" J. Neurosci, 26:8727-8733.

Xu, P.-X., Atkinson, R., Jones, D.M.N. and Smith, D.P. (2005). Drosophila OBP LUSH is required for Activity in Pheromone-Sensitive Neurons. Neuron, 45: 193-200.

Shanbhag, S.R., Smith, D.P., and Steinbrecht, R.A. (2005). Three odorant binding proteins are co-expressed in sensilla trichodea of Drosophila melanogaster. Arthropod Structure and Development, 34: 153-165.

Liu, Q., Rand, T. A., Kalidas, S., Du, F., Kim, H.-E., Smith, D.P., Wang, X-D. (2003). R2D2, a bridge between the initiation and effector steps of the Drosopihla RNAi pathway. Science, 301: 1921-1925.

Elmore, T., Ignell, R. Carlson, J.R.R. and Smith, D.P. (2003). "Odorant Receptor Mutants Reveal Peripheral Coding Mechanisms in Drosophila" J. Neuroscience, 23: 9906-9912.

Xu, P.-X. and Smith, D.P. (2003). Identification of an Atypical Odorant Binding Protein Family in the Genome of Anopheles gambiae. Insect Molecular Biology, 12: 549-560.

Kruse, S. W., Zhao, R., Smith, D.P.  and Jones, D.N.M. (2003). "Structure of a specific alcohol-binding site defined by the Drosophila protein LUSH". Nature Structural Biology, 10: 694-700.

Kalidas, S. and Smith, D.P. (2002). Novel Genomic cDNA Hybrids Produce Effective RNA Interference in Adult Drosophila. Neuron, 33:1-8.

Shanbhag, S.R., Hekmat-Scafe, D., Kim, M. S., Park, S.K., Carlson, J.R., Pikielny, C., Smith, D.P., Steinbrecht,  R.A. (2001). Expression mosaic of Odorant-Binding Proteins in Drosophila Olfactory Organs. Microscopy Research and Techniques, 55:297-306.

Galindo, K. and Smith, D.P. (2001). A Large Family of Divergent Odorant-Binding Proteins Expressed in Gustatory and Olfactory Sensilla. Genetics, 159: 1059-1072.

Elmore , T. and Smith, D.P. (2001). Putative Drosophila Odor Receptor OR43b Localizes to Dendrites of Olfactory Neurons. Insect Biochemistry and Molecular Biology 31:791-798.

Coral G. Warr , Leslie B. Vosshall,  Hubert O. Amrein,  John R. Carlson,  Qian Gao,  and Dean P. Smith (2000). A Unified Nomenclature System for the Drosophila Odorant Receptors. Cell 102, 145-146.

Elmore, T., Rodrigues, A., Smith, D.P.  (1998). dRGS7 encodes a Drosophila homolog of EGL-10 and vertebrate RGS7. DNA and Cell Science 17: 983-989.

Kim, M.-S., Repp, A. , Smith, D.P.  (1998). LUSH mediates chemosensory responses to alcohols in Drosophila. Genetics 150: 711-721.

Invited Reviews

Ha, T.S. and Smith, D.P. (2008). "Smell-Gated Ion Channels" Cell 133:761-763.

Smith, D.P. (2007). "Odor and pheromone detection in Drosophila melanogaster" Pfluger Arch. Eur. J. Physiol. 454: 749-785

Kalidas, S. and Smith, D.P. (2003). "Functional Genomics, Fragile X Syndrome and RNA Interference" Archives of Neurology 60: 1197-1200.

Smith, D.P. (2001). “Drosophila Gustation: A Question of Taste” Neuron 29, 551-554.

Smith, D.P. (1999). "Drosophila Odor Receptors Revealed" Neuron 22, 201-207.

Smith, D.P. (1996). "The Sweet, Sweet Smell of Diacetyl" Neuron 16, 469-471.

Smith, D.P. (1996). "Olfactory Mechanisms in Drosophila melanogaster" Current Opinion in Neurobiology 6, 500-505.

Educational Background

B.S. from the University of Utah, 1982
M.D. from University of Utah College of Medicine, 1986
Ph.D. (Biology, Neuroscience) from University of California at San Diego under Dr. Charles Zuker
PEPR fellowship UTSW, 1993-1995
Assistant Professor UTSW, 1996-2004
Associate Professor UTSW, 2004-Present