Gene switching and the stability of odorant receptor gene choice.

Abstract

Individual olfactory sensory neurons express only a single odorant receptor from a large family of genes, and this singularity is an essential feature in models of olfactory perception. We have devised a genetic strategy to examine the stability of receptor choice. We observe that immature olfactory sensory neurons that express a given odorant receptor can switch receptor expression, albeit at low frequency. Neurons that express a mutant receptor gene switch receptor transcription with significantly greater probability, suggesting that the expression of a functional odorant receptor elicits a feedback signal that terminates switching. This process of receptor gene switching assures that a neuron will ultimately express a functional receptor and that the choice of this receptor will remain stable for the life of the cell.

Authors

Shykind BM  •  Rohani SC  •  O'Donnell S  •  Nemes A  •  Mendelsohn M  •  Sun Y  •  Axel R  •  Barnea G

Link

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15186780