Localized Expression of Olfactory Receptor Genes in the Olfactory Organ of Common Minke Whales
Baleen whales (Mysticeti) possess the necessary anatomical structures and genetic elements for olfaction. Nevertheless, the olfactory receptor gene ( OR ) repertoire has undergone substantial degeneration in the cetacean lineage following the divergence of the Artiodactyla and Cetacea. The functiona...
| Published in: | International Journal of Molecular Sciences |
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| Main Authors: | , , , , , |
| Format: | Article in Journal/Newspaper |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
MDPI AG
2024
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| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms25073855 https://doaj.org/article/6d15e24ddc02466d9eec62b52fbe391f |
| Summary: | Baleen whales (Mysticeti) possess the necessary anatomical structures and genetic elements for olfaction. Nevertheless, the olfactory receptor gene ( OR ) repertoire has undergone substantial degeneration in the cetacean lineage following the divergence of the Artiodactyla and Cetacea. The functionality of highly degenerated mysticete OR s within their olfactory epithelium remains unknown. In this study, we extracted total RNA from the nasal mucosae of common minke whales ( Balaenoptera acutorostrata ) to investigate OR s’ localized expression. All three sections of the mucosae examined in the nasal chamber displayed comparable histological structure. However, the posterior portion of the frontoturbinal region exhibited notably high OR expression. Neither the olfactory bulb nor the external skin exhibited the expression of these genes. Although this species possesses four intact non-class-2 OR s, all the OR s expressed in the nasal mucosae belong to class-2, implying the loss of aversion to specific odorants. These anatomical and genomic analyses suggest that OR s are still responsible for olfaction within the nasal region of baleen whales, enabling them to detect desirable scents such as prey and potential mating partners. |
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