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Olfactory receptor-encoding genes and pseudogenes are expressed in humans
M L Crowe1, B N Perry, I F Connerton
1Protein Engineering Department, Institute of Food Research, Reading, UK.
Gene
|March 9, 1996
Summary
Researchers identified a human olfactory receptor gene and a pseudogene in olfactory tissue. Pseudogene expression suggests many olfactory neurons may be non-functional, impacting smell perception.
Area of Science:
- Genomics
- Neuroscience
- Olfactory receptor research
Background:
- The human olfactory system relies on a vast repertoire of olfactory receptor (OR) genes.
- Each olfactory sensory neuron typically expresses only one type of OR, enabling specific odorant detection.
Purpose of the Study:
- To clone and characterize novel human olfactory receptor genes.
- To investigate the expression of these genes in olfactory tissues.
- To determine the functional implications of identified olfactory receptor pseudogenes.
Main Methods:
- Cloning of human genomic DNA to identify putative olfactory receptor genes.
- Isolation of full-length complementary DNA (cDNA) from olfactory tissue to confirm gene expression.
- Analysis of cDNA clones to identify both functional genes and pseudogenes.
Main Results:
- A full-length cDNA clone encoding a functional olfactory receptor was isolated.
- A second cDNA clone was identified as an olfactory receptor pseudogene.
- The expression of an olfactory receptor pseudogene was confirmed in olfactory tissue.
Conclusions:
- The identified olfactory receptor pseudogene is expressed in olfactory neurons.
- Expression of a pseudogene in neurons intended to express a single functional receptor implies potential non-functionality.
- This finding suggests a significant proportion of olfactory neurons may be non-functional, impacting the overall olfactory capacity.