Better Smelling Through Genetics: Mammalian Odor Perception

Overview

Journal Curr Opin Neurobiol

Specialties Biology
Neurology

Date 2008 Oct 22

PMID 18938244

Citations 20

Authors

Andreas Keller

Leslie B Vosshall

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

The increasing availability of genomic and genetic tools to study olfaction-the sense of smell-has brought important new insights into how this chemosensory modality functions in different species. Newly sequenced mammalian genomes-from platypus to dog-have made it possible to infer how smell has evolved to suit the needs of a given species and how variation within a species may affect individual olfactory perception. This review will focus on recent advances in the genetics and genomics of mammalian smell, with a primary focus on rodents and humans.

Citing Articles

Detection of odorants in odour mixtures among healthy people and patients with olfactory dysfunction.

Drnovsek E, Weitkamp K, Murthy V, Gurbuz E, Haehner A, Hummel T Eur J Neurosci. 2025; 61(1):e16633.

PMID: 39803925 PMC: 11727005. DOI: 10.1111/ejn.16633.

Functional contextual implementation of an evolutionary, entropy-based, and embodied free energy framework: Utilizing Lagrangian mechanics and evolutionary game theory's truth vs. fitness test of the veridicality of phenomenological experience.

Edwards D Front Psychol. 2023; 14:1150743.

PMID: 37113127 PMC: 10126492. DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2023.1150743.

Olfactory Sensitivity Is Associated with Body Mass Index and Polymorphism in the Voltage-Gated Potassium Channels .

Melis M, Tomassini Barbarossa I, Crnjar R, Sollai G Nutrients. 2022; 14(23).

PMID: 36501016 PMC: 9736683. DOI: 10.3390/nu14234986.

The platypus: evolutionary history, biology, and an uncertain future.

Bino G, Kingsford R, Archer M, Connolly J, Day J, Dias K J Mammal. 2019; 100(2):308-327.

PMID: 31043761 PMC: 6479513. DOI: 10.1093/jmammal/gyz058.

Testing for Metacognitive Responding Using an Odor-based Delayed Match-to-Sample Test in Rats.

Lee K, Preston A, Wise T, Templer V J Vis Exp. 2018; (136).

PMID: 29985304 PMC: 6101758. DOI: 10.3791/57489.

References

Kimchi T, Xu J, Dulac C . A functional circuit underlying male sexual behaviour in the female mouse brain. Nature. 2007; 448(7157):1009-14. DOI: 10.1038/nature06089. View

Grus W, Shi P, Zhang J . Largest vertebrate vomeronasal type 1 receptor gene repertoire in the semiaquatic platypus. Mol Biol Evol. 2007; 24(10):2153-7. DOI: 10.1093/molbev/msm157. View

Pinto J, Thanaviratananich S, Hayes M, Naclerio R, Ober C . A genome-wide screen for hyposmia susceptibility Loci. Chem Senses. 2008; 33(4):319-29. DOI: 10.1093/chemse/bjm092. View

Young J, Endicott R, Parghi S, Walker M, Kidd J, Trask B . Extensive copy-number variation of the human olfactory receptor gene family. Am J Hum Genet. 2008; 83(2):228-42. PMC: 2495065. DOI: 10.1016/j.ajhg.2008.07.005. View

Lesniak A, Walczak M, Jezierski T, Sacharczuk M, Gawkowski M, Jaszczak K . Canine olfactory receptor gene polymorphism and its relation to odor detection performance by sniffer dogs. J Hered. 2008; 99(5):518-27. DOI: 10.1093/jhered/esn057. View

Go Y, Niimura Y . Similar numbers but different repertoires of olfactory receptor genes in humans and chimpanzees. Mol Biol Evol. 2008; 25(9):1897-907. DOI: 10.1093/molbev/msn135. View

Brechbuhl J, Klaey M, Broillet M . Grueneberg ganglion cells mediate alarm pheromone detection in mice. Science. 2008; 321(5892):1092-5. DOI: 10.1126/science.1160770. View

Hasin Y, Olender T, Khen M, Gonzaga-Jauregui C, Kim P, Urban A . High-resolution copy-number variation map reflects human olfactory receptor diversity and evolution. PLoS Genet. 2008; 4(11):e1000249. PMC: 2570968. DOI: 10.1371/journal.pgen.1000249. View

Nozawa M, Kawahara Y, Nei M . Genomic drift and copy number variation of sensory receptor genes in humans. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2007; 104(51):20421-6. PMC: 2154446. DOI: 10.1073/pnas.0709956104. View

10.

Liman E, Innan H . Relaxed selective pressure on an essential component of pheromone transduction in primate evolution. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2003; 100(6):3328-32. PMC: 152292. DOI: 10.1073/pnas.0636123100. View

11.

Menashe I, Man O, Lancet D, Gilad Y . Different noses for different people. Nat Genet. 2003; 34(2):143-4. DOI: 10.1038/ng1160. View

12.

Tian H, Ma M . Molecular organization of the olfactory septal organ. J Neurosci. 2004; 24(38):8383-90. PMC: 2227317. DOI: 10.1523/JNEUROSCI.2222-04.2004. View

13.

Willis C, Church S, Guest C, Cook W, McCarthy N, Bransbury A . Olfactory detection of human bladder cancer by dogs: proof of principle study. BMJ. 2004; 329(7468):712. PMC: 518893. DOI: 10.1136/bmj.329.7468.712. View

14.

Amoore J . Odour-blindness to musk: simple recessive inheritance. Nature. 1973; 242(5395):271-3. DOI: 10.1038/242271a0. View

15.

Wysocki C, Beauchamp G . Ability to smell androstenone is genetically determined. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 1984; 81(15):4899-902. PMC: 391599. DOI: 10.1073/pnas.81.15.4899. View

16.

Pace U, Hanski E, Salomon Y, Lancet D . Odorant-sensitive adenylate cyclase may mediate olfactory reception. Nature. 1985; 316(6025):255-8. DOI: 10.1038/316255a0. View

17.

Sklar P, Anholt R, Snyder S . The odorant-sensitive adenylate cyclase of olfactory receptor cells. Differential stimulation by distinct classes of odorants. J Biol Chem. 1986; 261(33):15538-43. View

18.

Buck L, Axel R . A novel multigene family may encode odorant receptors: a molecular basis for odor recognition. Cell. 1991; 65(1):175-87. DOI: 10.1016/0092-8674(91)90418-x. View

19.

Griff I, Reed R . The genetic basis for specific anosmia to isovaleric acid in the mouse. Cell. 1995; 83(3):407-14. DOI: 10.1016/0092-8674(95)90118-3. View

20.

Young J, Kambere M, Trask B, Lane R . Divergent V1R repertoires in five species: Amplification in rodents, decimation in primates, and a surprisingly small repertoire in dogs. Genome Res. 2005; 15(2):231-40. PMC: 546524. DOI: 10.1101/gr.3339905. View