Identification of Olfactory Receptor Genes from Mammalian Genome Sequences

Olfaction is essential for the survival of mammals. Diverse odorant molecules in the environment are detected by olfactory receptors (ORs) expressed in the olfactory epithelium of the nasal cavity. In general, mammalian genomes harbor ∼1,000 OR genes, which form the largest multigene family in mammals. The recent advances in genome sequencing technology have enabled us to computationally identify nearly complete repertoires of OR genes from various organisms. Such studies have revealed that the numbers of OR genes are highly variable among organisms depending on their living environments.
Source: Springer protocols feed by Genetics/Genomics - Category: Genetics & Stem Cells Source Type: news