基因转换与嗅觉受体基因选择的稳定性

Gene switching and the stability of odorant receptor gene choice.

作者信息

Shykind Benjamin M, Rohani S Christy, O'Donnell Sean, Nemes Adriana, Mendelsohn Monica, Sun Yonghua, Axel Richard, Barnea Gilad

机构信息

Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biophysics and Howard Hughes Medical Institute, College of Physicians and Surgeons, Columbia University, New York, NY 10032, USA.

出版信息

Cell. 2004 Jun 11;117(6):801-15. doi: 10.1016/j.cell.2004.05.015.

DOI:10.1016/j.cell.2004.05.015

PMID:15186780

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.

摘要

单个嗅觉感觉神经元仅从一大类基因中表达一种气味受体，这种单一性是嗅觉感知模型中的一个基本特征。我们设计了一种遗传策略来研究受体选择的稳定性。我们观察到，表达特定气味受体的未成熟嗅觉感觉神经元能够切换受体表达，尽管频率较低。表达突变受体基因的神经元切换受体转录的概率显著更高，这表明功能性气味受体的表达会引发一个反馈信号，从而终止切换。受体基因切换的这一过程确保神经元最终会表达一种功能性受体，并且这种受体的选择在细胞的生命周期内将保持稳定。