Olfactory receptors (ORs) represent nearly 2% of the mouse genome, reflecting something over 1200 individual genes. This remarkable number represents both an experimental opportunity and a technical challenge. Comparative studies among such a large number of genes expressed in a single tissue can offer insights in questions ranging from receptor-ligand structure-function relations to stimulus coding strategies to regulation of gene expression. However the technical demands of working with a family of over 1000 genes are beyond most standard practices of molecular biology and physiology. The advent of whole genome sequencing and high density microarray gene expression assays are a viable solution to these obstacles, and can provide important front end data that can be pursued further by standard, low throughput techniques. Additionally these high throughput techniques can themselves often produce informative data and new insights. Here we propose to extend our bioinformatics based data mining efforts into dynamic functional studies with a new custom-designed high density microarray that will allow us to monitor expression levels of all olfactory receptor (OR) genes simultaneously. This will allow us to extend the bioinformatics work on the whole genome to an appreciation of dynamic gene expression and regulation.

Agency
National Institute of Health (NIH)
Institute
National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders (NIDCD)
Type
Research Project (R01)
Project #
5R01DC006713-05
Application #
7367850
Study Section
Special Emphasis Panel (ZRG1-SMI (04))
Program Officer
Davis, Barry
Project Start
2004-04-01
Project End
2009-02-28
Budget Start
2008-03-01
Budget End
2009-02-28
Support Year
5
Fiscal Year
2008
Total Cost
$277,883
Indirect Cost
Name
Columbia University (N.Y.)
Department
Biology
Type
Other Domestic Higher Education
DUNS #
049179401
City
New York
State
NY
Country
United States
Zip Code
10027
Zhang, Xiaohong; Zhang, Xinmin; Firestein, Stuart (2007) Comparative genomics of odorant and pheromone receptor genes in rodents. Genomics 89:441-50