Clyne P J, Warr C G, Freeman M R, Lessing D, Kim J, Carlson J R
Department of Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut 06520, USA.
Neuron. 1999 Feb;22(2):327-38. doi: 10.1016/s0896-6273(00)81093-4.
Although insects have proven to be valuable models for exploring the function, organization, and development of the olfactory system, the receptor molecules that bind odors have not been identified in any insect. We have developed a novel search algorithm, used it to search the Drosophila genomic sequence database, and identified a large multigene family encoding seven transmembrane domain proteins that are expressed in olfactory organs. We show that expression is restricted to subsets of olfactory receptor neurons (ORNs) for a number of these genes. Different members of the family initiate expression at different times during antennal development. Some of the genes are not expressed in a mutant of the Acj6 POU-domain transcription factor, a mutant in which a subset of ORNs show abnormal odorant specificities.
尽管昆虫已被证明是探索嗅觉系统功能、组织和发育的有价值模型，但尚未在任何昆虫中鉴定出与气味结合的受体分子。我们开发了一种新颖的搜索算法，用它来搜索果蝇基因组序列数据库，并鉴定出一个编码七个跨膜结构域蛋白的大型多基因家族，这些蛋白在嗅觉器官中表达。我们表明，其中许多基因的表达仅限于嗅觉受体神经元（ORN）的亚群。该家族的不同成员在触角发育的不同时间开始表达。其中一些基因在Acj6 POU结构域转录因子的突变体中不表达，在该突变体中，一部分ORN表现出异常的气味特异性。
