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Open AccessEditorial

Special Issue “Olfaction: From Genes to Behavior”

by Edgar Soria-Gómez

Genes 2020, 11(6), 654; https://doi.org/10.3390/genes11060654 - 15 Jun 2020

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 2218

Abstract

The senses dictate how the brain represents the environment, and this representation is the basis of how we act in the world [...] Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Olfaction: From Genes to Behavior)

Research

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15 pages, 3306 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Transcriptome Analysis of Zebrafish Olfactory Epithelium Reveal Sexual Differences in Odorant Detection

by Ying Wang, Haifeng Jiang and Liandong Yang

Genes 2020, 11(6), 592; https://doi.org/10.3390/genes11060592 - 27 May 2020

Cited by 10 | Viewed by 3259

Abstract

Animals have evolved a large number of olfactory receptor genes in their genome to detect numerous odorants in their surrounding environments. However, we still know little about whether males and females possess the same abilities to sense odorants, especially in fish. In this [...] Read more.

Animals have evolved a large number of olfactory receptor genes in their genome to detect numerous odorants in their surrounding environments. However, we still know little about whether males and females possess the same abilities to sense odorants, especially in fish. In this study, we used deep RNA sequencing to examine the difference of transcriptome between male and female zebrafish olfactory epithelia. We found that the olfactory transcriptomes between males and females are highly similar. We also found evidence of some genes showing differential expression or alternative splicing, which may be associated with odorant-sensing between sexes. Most chemosensory receptor genes showed evidence of expression in the zebrafish olfactory epithelium, with a higher expression level in males than in females. Taken together, our results provide a comprehensive catalog of the genes mediating olfactory perception and pheromone-evoked behavior in fishes. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Olfaction: From Genes to Behavior)

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16 pages, 3528 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Excitability of Neural Activity is Enhanced, but Neural Discrimination of Odors is Slightly Decreased, in the Olfactory Bulb of Fasted Mice

by Jing Wu, Penglai Liu, Fengjiao Chen, Lingying Ge, Yifan Lu and Anan Li

Genes 2020, 11(4), 433; https://doi.org/10.3390/genes11040433 - 16 Apr 2020

Cited by 19 | Viewed by 3481

Abstract

Olfaction and satiety status influence each other: cues from the olfactory system modulate eating behavior, and satiety affects olfactory abilities. However, the neural mechanisms governing the interactions between olfaction and satiety are unknown. Here, we investigate how an animal’s nutritional state modulates neural [...] Read more.

Olfaction and satiety status influence each other: cues from the olfactory system modulate eating behavior, and satiety affects olfactory abilities. However, the neural mechanisms governing the interactions between olfaction and satiety are unknown. Here, we investigate how an animal’s nutritional state modulates neural activity and odor representation in the mitral/tufted cells of the olfactory bulb, a key olfactory center that plays important roles in odor processing and representation. At the single-cell level, we found that the spontaneous firing rate of mitral/tufted cells and the number of cells showing an excitatory response both increased when mice were in a fasted state. However, the neural discrimination of odors slightly decreased. Although ongoing baseline and odor-evoked beta oscillations in the local field potential in the olfactory bulb were unchanged with fasting, the amplitude of odor-evoked gamma oscillations significantly decreased in a fasted state. These neural changes in the olfactory bulb were independent of the sniffing pattern, since both sniffing frequency and mean inhalation duration did not change with fasting. These results provide new information toward understanding the neural circuit mechanisms by which olfaction is modulated by nutritional status. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Olfaction: From Genes to Behavior)

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12 pages, 4491 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Cell Progeny in the Olfactory Bulb after Targeting Specific Progenitors with Different UbC-StarTrack Approaches

by Rebeca Sánchez-González, María Figueres-Oñate, Ana Cristina Ojalvo-Sanz and Laura López-Mascaraque

Genes 2020, 11(3), 305; https://doi.org/10.3390/genes11030305 - 13 Mar 2020

Cited by 8 | Viewed by 3482

Abstract

The large phenotypic variation in the olfactory bulb may be related to heterogeneity in the progenitor cells. Accordingly, the progeny of subventricular zone (SVZ) progenitor cells that are destined for the olfactory bulb is of particular interest, specifically as there are many facets [...] Read more.

The large phenotypic variation in the olfactory bulb may be related to heterogeneity in the progenitor cells. Accordingly, the progeny of subventricular zone (SVZ) progenitor cells that are destined for the olfactory bulb is of particular interest, specifically as there are many facets of these progenitors and their molecular profiles remain unknown. Using modified StarTrack genetic tracing strategies, specific SVZ progenitor cells were targeted in E12 mice embryos, and the cell fate of these neural progenitors was determined in the adult olfactory bulb. This study defined the distribution and the phenotypic diversity of olfactory bulb interneurons from specific SVZ-progenitor cells, focusing on their spatial pallial origin, heterogeneity, and genetic profile. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Olfaction: From Genes to Behavior)

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15 pages, 1882 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Modulation of Sex Pheromone Discrimination by a UDP-Glycosyltransferase in Drosophila melanogaster

by Stéphane Fraichard, Arièle Legendre, Philippe Lucas, Isabelle Chauvel, Philippe Faure, Fabrice Neiers, Yves Artur, Loïc Briand, Jean-François Ferveur and Jean-Marie Heydel

Genes 2020, 11(3), 237; https://doi.org/10.3390/genes11030237 - 25 Feb 2020

Cited by 15 | Viewed by 3528

Abstract

The detection and processing of chemical stimuli involve coordinated neuronal networks that process sensory information. This allows animals, such as the model species Drosophila melanogaster, to detect food sources and to choose a potential mate. In peripheral olfactory tissues, several classes of [...] Read more.

The detection and processing of chemical stimuli involve coordinated neuronal networks that process sensory information. This allows animals, such as the model species Drosophila melanogaster, to detect food sources and to choose a potential mate. In peripheral olfactory tissues, several classes of proteins are acting to modulate the detection of chemosensory signals. This includes odorant-binding proteins together with odorant-degrading enzymes (ODEs). These enzymes, which primarily act to eliminate toxic compounds from the whole organism also modulate chemodetection. ODEs are thought to neutralize the stimulus molecule concurrently to its detection, avoiding receptor saturation thus allowing chemosensory neurons to respond to the next stimulus. Here, we show that one UDP-glycosyltransferase (UGT36E1) expressed in D. melanogaster antennal olfactory sensory neurons (OSNs) is involved in sex pheromone discrimination. UGT36E1 overexpression caused by an insertion mutation affected male behavioral ability to discriminate sex pheromones while it increased OSN electrophysiological activity to male pheromones. Reciprocally, the decreased expression of UGT36E1, controlled by an RNAi transgene, improved male ability to discriminate sex pheromones whereas it decreased electrophysiological activity in the relevant OSNs. When we combined the two genotypes (mutation and RNAi), we restored wild-type-like levels both for the behavioral discrimination and UGT36E1 expression. Taken together, our results strongly suggest that this UGT plays a pivotal role in Drosophila pheromonal detection. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Olfaction: From Genes to Behavior)

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15 pages, 2488 KiB

Open AccessArticle

De Novo Transcriptome Identifies Olfactory Genes in Diachasmimorpha longicaudata (Ashmead)

by Liangde Tang, Jimin Liu, Lihui Liu, Yonghao Yu, Haiyan Zhao and Wen Lu

Genes 2020, 11(2), 144; https://doi.org/10.3390/genes11020144 - 29 Jan 2020

Cited by 9 | Viewed by 3391

Abstract

Diachasmimoorpha longicaudata (Ashmead, D. longicaudata) (Hymenoptera: Braconidae) is a solitary species of parasitoid wasp and widely used in integrated pest management (IPM) programs as a biological control agent in order to suppress tephritid fruit flies of economic importance. Although many studies have [...] Read more.

Diachasmimoorpha longicaudata (Ashmead, D. longicaudata) (Hymenoptera: Braconidae) is a solitary species of parasitoid wasp and widely used in integrated pest management (IPM) programs as a biological control agent in order to suppress tephritid fruit flies of economic importance. Although many studies have investigated the behaviors in the detection of their hosts, little is known of the molecular information of their chemosensory system. We assembled the first transcriptome of D. longgicaudata using transcriptome sequencing and identified 162,621 unigenes for the Ashmead insects in response to fruit flies fed with different fruits (guava, mango, and carambola). We annotated these transcripts on both the gene and protein levels by aligning them to databases (e.g., NR, NT, KEGG, GO, PFAM, UniProt/SwissProt) and prediction software (e.g., SignalP, RNAMMER, TMHMM Sever). CPC2 and MIREAP were used to predict the potential noncoding RNAs and microRNAs, respectively. Based on these annotations, we found 43, 69, 60, 689, 26 and 14 transcripts encoding odorant-binding protein (OBP), chemosensory proteins (CSPs), gustatory receptor (GR), odorant receptor (OR), odorant ionotropic receptor (IR), and sensory neuron membrane protein (SNMP), respectively. Sequence analysis identified the conserved six Cys in OBP sequences and phylogenetic analysis further supported the identification of OBPs and CSPs. Furthermore, 9 OBPs, 13 CSPs, 3 GRs, 4IRs, 25 ORs, and 4 SNMPs were differentially expressed in the insects in response to fruit flies with different scents. These results support that the olfactory genes of the parasitoid wasps were specifically expressed in response to their hosts with different scents. Our findings improve our understanding of the behaviors of insects in the detection of their hosts on the molecular level. More importantly, it provides a valuable resource for D. longicaudata research and will benefit the IPM programs and other researchers in this filed. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Olfaction: From Genes to Behavior)

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Review

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11 pages, 1555 KiB

Open AccessReview

Sustentacular Cell Enwrapment of Olfactory Receptor Neuronal Dendrites: An Update

by Fengyi Liang

Genes 2020, 11(5), 493; https://doi.org/10.3390/genes11050493 - 30 Apr 2020

Cited by 53 | Viewed by 7846

Abstract

The pseudostratified olfactory epithelium (OE) may histologically appear relatively simple, but the cytological relations among its cell types, especially those between olfactory receptor neurons (ORNs) and olfactory sustentacular cells (OSCs), prove more complex and variable than previously believed. Adding to the complexity is [...] Read more.

The pseudostratified olfactory epithelium (OE) may histologically appear relatively simple, but the cytological relations among its cell types, especially those between olfactory receptor neurons (ORNs) and olfactory sustentacular cells (OSCs), prove more complex and variable than previously believed. Adding to the complexity is the short lifespan, persistent neurogenesis, and continuous rewiring of the ORNs. Contrary to the common belief that ORN dendrites are mostly positioned between OSCs, recent findings indicate a sustentacular cell enwrapped configuration for a majority of mature ORN dendrites at the superficial layer of the OE. After vertically sprouting out from the borderlines between OSCs, most of the immature ORN dendrites undergo a process of sideways migration and terminal maturation to become completely invaginated into and enwrapped by OSCs. Trailing the course of the dendritic sideways migration is the mesodendrite (mesentery of the enwrapped dendrite) made of closely apposed, cell junction connected plasma membrane layers of neighboring folds of the host sustentacular cell. Only a minority of the mature ORN dendrites at the OE apical surface are found at the borderlines between OSCs (unwrapped). Below I give a brief update on the cytoarchitectonic relations between the ORNs and OSCs of the OE. Emphasis is placed on the enwrapment of ORN dendrites by OSCs, on the sideways migration of immature ORN dendrites after emerging from the OE surface, and on the terminal maturation of the ORNs. Functional implications of ORN dendrite enwrapment and a comparison with myelination or Remak’s bundling of axons or axodendrites in the central and peripheral nervous system are also discussed. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Olfaction: From Genes to Behavior)

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8 pages, 680 KiB

Open AccessReview

Cannabinoid Control of Olfactory Processes: The Where Matters

by Geoffrey Terral, Giovanni Marsicano, Pedro Grandes and Edgar Soria-Gómez

Genes 2020, 11(4), 431; https://doi.org/10.3390/genes11040431 - 16 Apr 2020

Cited by 11 | Viewed by 4198

Abstract

Olfaction has a direct influence on behavior and cognitive processes. There are different neuromodulatory systems in olfactory circuits that control the sensory information flowing through the rest of the brain. The presence of the cannabinoid type-1 (CB1) receptor, (the main cannabinoid receptor in [...] Read more.

Olfaction has a direct influence on behavior and cognitive processes. There are different neuromodulatory systems in olfactory circuits that control the sensory information flowing through the rest of the brain. The presence of the cannabinoid type-1 (CB1) receptor, (the main cannabinoid receptor in the brain), has been shown for more than 20 years in different brain olfactory areas. However, only over the last decade have we started to know the specific cellular mechanisms that link cannabinoid signaling to olfactory processing and the control of behavior. In this review, we aim to summarize and discuss our current knowledge about the presence of CB1 receptors, and the function of the endocannabinoid system in the regulation of different olfactory brain circuits and related behaviors. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Olfaction: From Genes to Behavior)

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28 pages, 4911 KiB

Open AccessReview

Comprehensive History of CSP Genes: Evolution, Phylogenetic Distribution and Functions

by Guoxia Liu, Ning Xuan, Balaji Rajashekar, Philippe Arnaud, Bernard Offmann and Jean-François Picimbon

Genes 2020, 11(4), 413; https://doi.org/10.3390/genes11040413 - 10 Apr 2020

Cited by 28 | Viewed by 4337

Abstract

In this review we present the developmental, histological, evolutionary and functional properties of insect chemosensory proteins (CSPs) in insect species. CSPs are small globular proteins folded like a prism and notoriously known for their complex and arguably obscure function(s), particularly in pheromone olfaction. [...] Read more.

In this review we present the developmental, histological, evolutionary and functional properties of insect chemosensory proteins (CSPs) in insect species. CSPs are small globular proteins folded like a prism and notoriously known for their complex and arguably obscure function(s), particularly in pheromone olfaction. Here, we focus on direct functional consequences on protein function depending on duplication, expression and RNA editing. The result of our analysis is important for understanding the significance of RNA-editing on functionality of CSP genes, particularly in the brain tissue. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Olfaction: From Genes to Behavior)

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16 pages, 653 KiB

Open AccessReview

The Role of Olfactory Genes in the Expression of Rodent Paternal Care Behavior

by Tasmin L. Rymer

Genes 2020, 11(3), 292; https://doi.org/10.3390/genes11030292 - 10 Mar 2020

Cited by 12 | Viewed by 4947

Abstract

Olfaction is the dominant sensory modality in rodents, and is crucial for regulating social behaviors, including parental care. Paternal care is rare in rodents, but can have significant consequences for offspring fitness, suggesting a need to understand the factors that regulate its expression. [...] Read more.

Olfaction is the dominant sensory modality in rodents, and is crucial for regulating social behaviors, including parental care. Paternal care is rare in rodents, but can have significant consequences for offspring fitness, suggesting a need to understand the factors that regulate its expression. Pup-related odor cues are critical for the onset and maintenance of paternal care. Here, I consider the role of olfaction in the expression of paternal care in rodents. The medial preoptic area shares neural projections with the olfactory and accessory olfactory bulbs, which are responsible for the interpretation of olfactory cues detected by the main olfactory and vomeronasal systems. The olfactory, trace amine, membrane-spanning 4-pass A, vomeronasal 1, vomeronasal 2 and formyl peptide receptors are all involved in olfactory detection. I highlight the roles that 10 olfactory genes play in the expression of direct paternal care behaviors, acknowledging that this list is not exhaustive. Many of these genes modulate parental aggression towards intruders, and facilitate the recognition and discrimination of pups in general. Much of our understanding comes from studies on non-naturally paternal laboratory rodents. Future studies should explore what role these genes play in the regulation and expression of paternal care in naturally biparental species. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Olfaction: From Genes to Behavior)

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