IDENTIFICATION OF OLFACTORY RECEPTORS SENSITIVE TO DIFFERENT ODORANTS

摘要

This disclosure provides methods for identification of olfactory sensosry neurons (OSN) that recognize specific odorants. The method comprises introducing into the OSN, a permanent activity marker which exhibits a detectable and permanent change upon activation of the neuron in response to an odorant and exposure to an exteranal stimulus, such as light. The OSN can be isolated and its receptor characterized.

主权项

1. A method for identification of olfactory sensosry neurons (OSN) that recognize an odorant comprising the steps of:
a) providing a population of OSNs, each OSN expressing an olfactory receptor (OR) and a permanent activity marker (PAM), wherein the PAM has has been introduced into the OSN and exhibits a permanent and detectable change upon activation of the OSN in response to an odorant and exposure to an external stimulus, wherein the external stimulus is light; b) exposing the population of OSNs to a test odorant and the external stimulus that will cause the PAM to exhibit the detectable change if the OSN containing the PAM is activated in response to the odorant; c) isolating the OSNs exhibiting the detectable change in PAM from the OSNs that do not exhibit the detectable change in PAM; d) identifying the OR or ORs expressed in the isolated OSNs.