Characterization of Zebrafish Class C Olfactory Receptor Gene repertoire

To understand the sensory processing of olfactory information it is essential to determine the size and diversity of the olfactory receptor gene repertoire. In the current analysis we performed the genome datamining to estimate the Group C olfactory receptor gene repertoire in zebrafish. A total of 56 receptors were identified. To evaluate the putative receptors as olfactory genes molecular and histochemical studies have been employed. The expression of several genes was detected in the olfactory tissue by RT-PCR. We characterized one of the receptors which is conserved across several species and uniquely clusters with the outgroups in the phylogenetic comparison, unlike the other ORC receptors. This receptor exhibited an broad expression pattern in the olfactory epithelium of zebrafish suggesting that it is co-expressed with other endogenously expressed receptors. The specific expression of the genes for the members by RT-PCR analysis identified in this approach is reported. These results directs towards the theory that the Class C olfactory receptors might function as a complex of two or more receptors like that of taste receptors