Abstract
BackgroundMammalian genomes contain a large number (~1000) of olfactory receptor (OR) genes, many of which (20 to 50%) are pseudogenes. OR gene transcription is not restricted to the olfactory epithelium, but is found in numerous tissues. Using microarray hybridization and RTqPCR, we analyzed the mRNA profiles of the olfactory epithelium of male and female Brown Norway rats of different origins and ages (newborn, adult and old).Results(1) We observed very little difference between males and females and between rats from two different suppliers. (2) Different OR genes were expressed at varying levels, rather than uniformly across the four endoturbinates. (3) A large proportion of the gene transcripts (2/3 of all probes) were detected in all three age groups. Adult and older rats expressed similar numbers of OR genes, both expressing more OR genes than newborns. (4) Comparisons of whole transcriptomes or transcription profiles of expressed OR genes only showed a clear clustering of the samples as a function of age. (5) Most OR genes were expressed at lower levels at birth than in older animals, but a small number of OR genes were expressed specifically or were overexpressed in newborns.ConclusionNot all OR genes are expressed at a detectable level. Pups expressed fewer OR genes than adult rats, and generally at a lower level; however, a small subset of OR genes were more strongly expressed in these newborn rats. The reasons for these differences are not understood. However, the specific expression of some OR genes in newborn olfactory epithelia may be related to the blindness and deafness of pups at birth, when these pups are heavily reliant on olfaction and their mother.
Highlights
Mammalian genomes contain a large number (~1000) of olfactory receptor (OR) genes, many of which (20 to 50%) are pseudogenes
The specific expression of some OR genes in newborn olfactory epithelia may be related to the blindness and deafness of pups at birth, when these pups are heavily reliant on olfaction and their mother
We report patterns of gene expression in the olfactory epithelium of adult Brown Norway rats
Summary
Mammalian genomes contain a large number (~1000) of olfactory receptor (OR) genes, many of which (20 to 50%) are pseudogenes. Olfactory receptor (OR) genes were first identified in the rat nasal epithelium by Buck and Axel in 1991 [1]. The receptors they encode play an essential role in olfaction, constituting a key initial element in a cascade of biochemical reactions that lead to odorant perception and recognition. OR intact genes and pseudogenes in the human genome [2,3] and up to 1500 OR genes (including pseudogenes) in the rat genome [4] These genes constitute by far the largest gene family in mammalian genomes. The distinction between pseudogenes and potentially active genes is not strictly defined: for example, a particular gene may exist as either a pseudogene or a potentially active gene, depending upon the population or the individual, as shown for dogs [7] and for humans [8]
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