FB2025_05 , released December 11, 2025
Gene: Dmel\Gr21a
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General Information
Symbol
Dmel\Gr21a
Species
D. melanogaster
Name
Gustatory receptor 21a
Annotation Symbol
CG13948
Feature Type
FlyBase ID
FBgn0041250
Gene Model Status
Stock Availability
Gene Summary
Gustatory receptor 21a (Gr21a) encodes a transmembrane domain protein unrelated to GPCRs. Together with the product Gr63a, it forms a heteromultimeric receptor for carbon dioxide, an important chemosensory cue for insects. [Date last reviewed: 2019-03-07] (FlyBase Gene Snapshot)
Also Known As

Gr21D1

Key Links
Genomic Location
Cytogenetic map
Sequence location
Recombination map
2-1.5
RefSeq locus
NT_033779 REGION:780482..782885
Sequence
Genomic Maps
Other Genome Views
The following external sites may use different assemblies or annotations than FlyBase.
Function
Gene Ontology (GO) Annotations (12 terms)
Molecular Function (3 terms)
Terms Based on Experimental Evidence (0 terms)
Terms Based on Predictions or Assertions (3 terms)
CV Term
Evidence
References
inferred from sequence or structural similarity with UniProtKB:Q9V4K2
inferred from biological aspect of ancestor with PANTHER:PTN008574778
non-traceable author statement
Biological Process (4 terms)
Terms Based on Experimental Evidence (2 terms)
CV Term
Evidence
References
inferred from genetic interaction with FLYBASE:Gr21a; FB:FBgn0041250
Terms Based on Predictions or Assertions (2 terms)
CV Term
Evidence
References
inferred from sequence or structural similarity with UniProtKB:Q9V4K2
non-traceable author statement
inferred from electronic annotation with InterPro:IPR013604
Cellular Component (5 terms)
Terms Based on Experimental Evidence (2 terms)
CV Term
Evidence
References
located_in dendrite
inferred from direct assay
inferred from direct assay
Terms Based on Predictions or Assertions (5 terms)
CV Term
Evidence
References
is_active_in axon
inferred from biological aspect of ancestor with PANTHER:PTN000475107
is_active_in dendrite
inferred from biological aspect of ancestor with PANTHER:PTN000475107
located_in membrane
non-traceable author statement
inferred from electronic annotation with InterPro:IPR013604
is_active_in neuronal cell body
inferred from biological aspect of ancestor with PANTHER:PTN000475107
is_active_in plasma membrane
inferred from sequence or structural similarity with UniProtKB:Q9V4K2
Gene Group (FlyBase)
Protein Family (UniProt)
Belongs to the insect chemoreceptor superfamily. Gustatory receptor (GR) family. Gr21a subfamily. (Q9VPT1)
Protein Signatures (InterPro)
Summaries
Gene Snapshot
Gustatory receptor 21a (Gr21a) encodes a transmembrane domain protein unrelated to GPCRs. Together with the product Gr63a, it forms a heteromultimeric receptor for carbon dioxide, an important chemosensory cue for insects. [Date last reviewed: 2019-03-07]
Gene Group (FlyBase)
GUSTATORY RECEPTORS -
The Gustatory receptors are a divergent group of (non-GPCR) seven-transmembrane chemoreceptors that are expressed in gustatory sensilla receptor neurons. They detect tastants (non-volatile compounds) via contact chemosensation. (Adapted from FBrf0208984).
Protein Function (UniProtKB)
Gustatory and odorant receptor which mediates acceptance or avoidance behavior, depending on its substrates. Gr21a and Gr63a together are sufficient for carbon dioxide detection and avoidance behavior. It is possible that the CO(2) receptors Gr63a and Gr21a activate the TRPC channels through Galpha49B and Plc21C. This innate olfactory avoidance behavior can be inhibited by inhibitory interactions of the odors such as 1-hexanol and 2,3-butanedione with Gr21a and Gr63a.
(UniProt, Q9VPT1)
Summary (Interactive Fly)

GPCRs that confer CO2-chemosensation in Drosophila

Gene Model and Products
Number of Transcripts
2
Number of Unique Polypeptides
1

Please see the JBrowse view of Dmel\Gr21a for information on other features

To submit a correction to a gene model please use the Contact FlyBase form

Protein Domains (via Pfam)
Isoform displayed:
Pfam protein domains
InterPro name
classification
start
end
Protein Domains (via SMART)
Isoform displayed:
SMART protein domains
InterPro name
classification
start
end
Structure
Protein 3D structure   (Predicted by AlphaFold)   (AlphaFold entry Q9VPT1)

If you don't see a structure in the viewer, refresh your browser.
Model Confidence:
  • Very high (pLDDT > 90)
  • Confident (90 > pLDDT > 70)
  • Low (70 > pLDDT > 50)
  • Very low (pLDDT < 50)

AlphaFold produces a per-residue confidence score (pLDDT) between 0 and 100. Some regions with low pLDDT may be unstructured in isolation.

Experimentally Determined Structures
Crossreferences
Comments on Gene Model

Predicted CDS based on personal communication to FlyBase; Hugh Robertson, 2003.

Gene model reviewed during 5.45

Transcript Data
Annotated Transcripts
Name
FlyBase ID
RefSeq ID
Length (nt)
Assoc. CDS (aa)
FBtr0078006
2220
447
FBtr0331651
1426
447
Additional Transcript Data and Comments
Reported size (kB)
Comments
External Data
Crossreferences
Polypeptide Data
Annotated Polypeptides
Name
FlyBase ID
Predicted MW (kDa)
Length (aa)
Theoretical pI
UniProt
RefSeq ID
GenBank
FBpp0077671
51.9
447
9.00
Polypeptides with Identical Sequences

The group(s) of polypeptides indicated below share identical sequence to each other.

447 aa isoforms: Gr21a-PA, Gr21a-PB
Additional Polypeptide Data and Comments
Reported size (kDa)
Comments
External Data
Subunit Structure (UniProtKB)

Gr21a and Gr63a probably form a heterodimer that responds to CO(2).

(UniProt, Q9VPT1)
Crossreferences
InterPro - A database of protein families, domains and functional sites
Linkouts
Sequences Consistent with the Gene Model
Mapped Features

Click to get a list of regulatory features (enhancers, TFBS, etc.) and gene disruptions (point mutations, indels, etc.) within or overlapping Dmel\Gr21a using the Feature Mapper tool.

External Data
Crossreferences
Eukaryotic Promoter Database - A collection of databases of experimentally validated promoters for selected model organisms.
Linkouts
Expression Data
Testis-specificity index

The testis specificity index was calculated from modENCODE tissue expression data by Vedelek et al., 2018 to indicate the degree of testis enrichment compared to other tissues. Scores range from -2.52 (underrepresented) to 5.2 (very high testis bias).

NA

Transcript Expression
in situ
Stage
Tissue/Position (including subcellular localization)
Reference
RT-PCR
Stage
Tissue/Position (including subcellular localization)
Reference
Additional Descriptive Data

Gr21a transcript is expressed in CO[[2]]-sensitive neurons in antennal segment 3; Gr21a is coexpressed with Gr63a in the third antennal segment, but not with Gr10a.

Marker for
 
Subcellular Localization
CV Term
Polypeptide Expression
Additional Descriptive Data
Marker for
 
Subcellular Localization
CV Term
Evidence
References
located_in dendrite
inferred from direct assay
inferred from direct assay
Expression Deduced from Reporters
High-Throughput Expression Data
Associated Tools

JBrowse - Visual display of RNA-Seq signals

View Dmel\Gr21a in JBrowse
RNA-Seq by Region - Search RNA-Seq expression levels by exon or genomic region
Reference
See Gelbart and Emmert, 2013 for analysis details and data files for all genes.
Developmental Proteome: Life Cycle
Developmental Proteome: Embryogenesis
External Data and Images
Linkouts
DRscDB - A single-cell RNA-seq resource for data mining and data comparison across species
EMBL-EBI Single Cell Expression Atlas - Single cell expression across species
FlyAtlas - Adult expression by tissue, using Affymetrix Dros2 array
FlyAtlas2 - A Drosophila melanogaster expression atlas with RNA-Seq, miRNA-Seq and sex-specific data
Flygut - An atlas of the Drosophila adult midgut
Images
Alleles, Insertions, Transgenic Constructs, and Aberrations
Classical and Insertion Alleles ( 5 )
For All Classical and Insertion Alleles Show
 
Other relevant insertions
Transgenic Constructs ( 14 )
For All Alleles Carried on Transgenic Constructs Show
Transgenic constructs containing/affecting coding region of Gr21a
Transgenic constructs containing regulatory region of Gr21a
Aberrations (Deficiencies and Duplications) ( 2 )
Inferred from experimentation ( 2 )
Inferred from location ( 8 )
Variants
Variant Molecular Consequences
Alleles Representing Disease-Implicated Variants
Phenotypes
For more details about a specific phenotype click on the relevant allele symbol.
Phenotype manifest in
Allele
Orthologs
Human Orthologs (via DIOPT v9.1)
Species\Gene Symbol
Score
Best Score
Best Reverse Score
Alignment
Complementation?
Transgene?
Homo sapiens (Human) (5)
1 of 14
Yes
No
1 of 14
Yes
No
1 of 14
Yes
No
1 of 14
Yes
No
1 of 14
Yes
No
Model Organism Orthologs (via DIOPT v9.1)
Species\Gene Symbol
Score
Best Score
Best Reverse Score
Alignment
Complementation?
Transgene?
Rattus norvegicus (Norway rat) (4)
1 of 14
Yes
No
1 of 14
Yes
No
1 of 14
Yes
No
1 of 14
Yes
No
Mus musculus (laboratory mouse) (4)
1 of 14
Yes
No
1 of 14
Yes
No
1 of 14
Yes
No
1 of 14
Yes
No
Xenopus tropicalis (Western clawed frog) (1)
1 of 13
Yes
No
Danio rerio (Zebrafish) (4)
1 of 14
Yes
No
1 of 14
Yes
No
1 of 14
Yes
Yes
1 of 14
Yes
No
Caenorhabditis elegans (Nematode, roundworm) (3)
1 of 14
Yes
Yes
1 of 14
Yes
No
1 of 14
Yes
No
Anopheles gambiae (African malaria mosquito) (7)
12 of 12
Yes
Yes
3 of 12
No
Yes
2 of 12
No
No
1 of 12
No
No
1 of 12
No
No
Arabidopsis thaliana (thale-cress) (1)
1 of 13
Yes
No
Saccharomyces cerevisiae (Brewer's yeast) (2)
1 of 13
Yes
No
1 of 13
Yes
No
Schizosaccharomyces pombe (Fission yeast) (3)
1 of 12
Yes
Yes
1 of 12
Yes
No
1 of 12
Yes
No
Escherichia coli (enterobacterium) (0)
Other Organism Orthologs (via OrthoDB)
Data provided directly from OrthoDB:Gr21a. Refer to their site for version information.
Paralogs
Paralogs (via DIOPT v9.1)
Drosophila melanogaster (Fruit fly) (44)
5 of 13
1 of 13
1 of 13
1 of 13
1 of 13
1 of 13
1 of 13
1 of 13
1 of 13
1 of 13
1 of 13
1 of 13
1 of 13
1 of 13
1 of 13
1 of 13
1 of 13
1 of 13
1 of 13
1 of 13
1 of 13
1 of 13
1 of 13
1 of 13
1 of 13
1 of 13
1 of 13
1 of 13
1 of 13
1 of 13
1 of 13
1 of 13
1 of 13
1 of 13
1 of 13
1 of 13
1 of 13
1 of 13
1 of 13
1 of 13
1 of 13
1 of 13
1 of 13
1 of 13
Human Disease Associations
FlyBase Human Disease Model Reports
    Disease Ontology (DO) Annotations
    Models Based on Experimental Evidence ( 0 )
    Allele
    Disease
    Evidence
    References
    Potential Models Based on Orthology ( 0 )
    Human Ortholog
    Disease
    Evidence
    References
    Modifiers Based on Experimental Evidence ( 0 )
    Allele
    Disease
    Interaction
    References
    Disease Associations of Human Orthologs (via DIOPT v9.1 and OMIM)
    Note that ortholog calls supported by only 1 or 2 algorithms (DIOPT score < 3) are not shown.
    Homo sapiens (Human)
    Gene name
    Score
    OMIM
    OMIM Phenotype
    DO term
    Complementation?
    Transgene?
    Functional Complementation Data
    Functional complementation data is computed by FlyBase using a combination of the orthology data obtained from DIOPT and OrthoDB and the allele-level genetic interaction data curated from the literature.
    Interactions
    Summary of Physical Interactions
    Interaction Browsers
    Summary of Genetic Interactions
    Interaction Browsers

    Please look at the allele data for full details of the genetic interactions
    Starting gene(s)
    Interaction type
    Interacting gene(s)
    Reference
    Starting gene(s)
    Interaction type
    Interacting gene(s)
    Reference
    External Data
    Subunit Structure (UniProtKB)
    Gr21a and Gr63a probably form a heterodimer that responds to CO(2).
    (UniProt, Q9VPT1 )
    Linkouts
    DroID - A comprehensive database of gene and protein interactions.
    Pathways
    Signaling Pathways (FlyBase)
    Metabolic Pathways
    FlyBase
    External Links
    External Data
    Linkouts
    Class of Gene
    Genomic Location and Detailed Mapping Data
    Chromosome (arm)
    2L
    Recombination map
    2-1.5
    Cytogenetic map
    Sequence location
    FlyBase Computed Cytological Location
    Cytogenetic map
    Evidence for location
    21E2-21E2
    Limits computationally determined from genome sequence between P{lacW}l(2)k09610k09610&P{lacW}Sk09538a and P{PZ}l(2)1068510685&P{lacW}Tango14k00619
    Experimentally Determined Cytological Location
    Cytogenetic map
    Notes
    References
    Experimentally Determined Recombination Data
    Location
    Left of (cM)
    Right of (cM)
    Notes
    Stocks and Reagents
    Stocks (16)
    Genomic Clones (11)
     

    Please Note FlyBase no longer curates genomic clone accessions so this list may not be complete

    cDNA Clones (4)
     

    Please Note This section lists cDNAs and ESTs that fall within the genomic extent of the gene model, which may include cDNAs and ESTs of genes within introns, or of overlapping genes. Please see JBrowse for alignment of the cDNAs and ESTs to the gene model.

    cDNA clones, fully sequenced
    BDGP DGC clones
    Other clones
      Drosophila Genomics Resource Center cDNA clones

      For each fully sequenced cDNA the DGRC maintains various forms of the cDNA (e.g tagged or untagged) in several different host vectors for subsequent cloning and expression in Drosophila and Drosophila cell lines.

      cDNA Clones, End Sequenced (ESTs)
      BDGP DGC clones
        Other clones
        RNAi and Array Information
        Linkouts
        DRSC - Results frm RNAi screens
        Antibody Information
        Laboratory Generated Antibodies
         
        Commercially Available Antibodies
         
        Cell Line Information
        Publicly Available Cell Lines
         
          Other Stable Cell Lines
           
            Other Comments
            Relationship to Other Genes
            Source for database merge of
            Additional comments
            Nomenclature History
            Source for database identify of
            Nomenclature comments
            Etymology
            Synonyms and Secondary IDs (12)
            Reported As
            Symbol Synonym
            GR21D.1
            Name Synonyms
            Gustatory receptor 21D.1
            Gustatory receptor 21a
            Secondary FlyBase IDs
            • FBgn0031278
            Datasets (0)
            Study focus (0)
            Experimental Role
            Project
            Project Type
            Title
            Study result (0)
            Result
            Result Type
            Title
            External Crossreferences and Linkouts ( 33 )
            Sequence Crossreferences
            NCBI Gene - Gene integrates information from a wide range of species. A record may include nomenclature, Reference Sequences (RefSeqs), maps, pathways, variations, phenotypes, and links to genome-, phenotype-, and locus-specific resources worldwide.
            GenBank Nucleotide - A collection of sequences from several sources, including GenBank, RefSeq, TPA, and PDB.
            GenBank Protein - A collection of sequences from several sources, including translations from annotated coding regions in GenBank, RefSeq and TPA, as well as records from SwissProt, PIR, PRF, and PDB.
            RefSeq - A comprehensive, integrated, non-redundant, well-annotated set of reference sequences including genomic, transcript, and protein.
            UniProt/GCRP - The gene-centric reference proteome (GCRP) provides a 1:1 mapping between genes and UniProt accessions in which a single 'canonical' isoform represents the product(s) of each protein-coding gene.
            UniProt/Swiss-Prot - Manually annotated and reviewed records of protein sequence and functional information
            UniProt/TrEMBL - Automatically annotated and unreviewed records of protein sequence and functional information
            Other crossreferences
            AlphaFold DB - AlphaFold provides open access to protein structure predictions for the human proteome and other key proteins of interest, to accelerate scientific research.
            DRscDB - A single-cell RNA-seq resource for data mining and data comparison across species
            EMBL-EBI Single Cell Expression Atlas - Single cell expression across species
            FlyAtlas2 - A Drosophila melanogaster expression atlas with RNA-Seq, miRNA-Seq and sex-specific data
            FlyMine - An integrated database for Drosophila genomics
            InterPro - A database of protein families, domains and functional sites
            KEGG Genes - Molecular building blocks of life in the genomic space.
            MARRVEL_MODEL - MARRVEL (model organism gene)
            Linkouts
            Drosophila Genomics Resource Center - Drosophila Genomics Resource Center (DGRC) cDNA clones
            DroID - A comprehensive database of gene and protein interactions.
            DRSC - Results frm RNAi screens
            Eukaryotic Promoter Database - A collection of databases of experimentally validated promoters for selected model organisms.
            FlyAtlas - Adult expression by tissue, using Affymetrix Dros2 array
            FlyCyc Genes - Genes from a BioCyc PGDB for Dmel
            Flygut - An atlas of the Drosophila adult midgut
            iBeetle-Base - RNAi phenotypes in the red flour beetle (Tribolium castaneum)
            Interactive Fly - A cyberspace guide to Drosophila development and metazoan evolution
            References (124)