Biomaterial Database

Human olfaction: from genomic variation to phenotypic diversity. 2009

Yehudit Hasin-Brumshtein, and Doron Lancet, and Tsviya Olender

Department of Molecular Genetics and the Crown Human Genome Center, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot 76100, Israel.

The sense of smell is a complex molecular device, encompassing several hundred olfactory receptor proteins (ORs). These receptors, encoded by the largest human gene superfamily, integrate odorant signals into an accurate 'odor image' in the brain. Widespread phenotypic diversity in human olfaction is, in part, attributable to prevalent genetic variation in OR genes, owing to copy number variation, deletion alleles and deleterious single nucleotide polymorphisms. The development of new genomic tools, including next generation sequencing and CNV assays, provides opportunities to characterize the genetic variations of this system. The advent of large-scale functional screens of expressed ORs, combined with genetic association studies, has the potential to link variations in ORs to human chemosensory phenotypes. This promises to provide a genome-wide view of human olfaction, resulting in a deeper understanding of personalized odor coding, with the potential to decipher flavor and fragrance preferences.

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D008954	Models, Biological	Theoretical representations that simulate the behavior or activity of biological processes or diseases. For disease models in living animals, DISEASE MODELS, ANIMAL is available. Biological models include the use of mathematical equations, computers, and other electronic equipment.	Biological Model,Biological Models,Model, Biological,Models, Biologic,Biologic Model,Biologic Models,Model, Biologic
D008957	Models, Genetic	Theoretical representations that simulate the behavior or activity of genetic processes or phenomena. They include the use of mathematical equations, computers, and other electronic equipment.	Genetic Models,Genetic Model,Model, Genetic
D010641	Phenotype	The outward appearance of the individual. It is the product of interactions between genes, and between the GENOTYPE and the environment.	Phenotypes
D010802	Phylogeny	The relationships of groups of organisms as reflected by their genetic makeup.	Community Phylogenetics,Molecular Phylogenetics,Phylogenetic Analyses,Phylogenetic Analysis,Phylogenetic Clustering,Phylogenetic Comparative Analysis,Phylogenetic Comparative Methods,Phylogenetic Distance,Phylogenetic Generalized Least Squares,Phylogenetic Groups,Phylogenetic Incongruence,Phylogenetic Inference,Phylogenetic Networks,Phylogenetic Reconstruction,Phylogenetic Relatedness,Phylogenetic Relationships,Phylogenetic Signal,Phylogenetic Structure,Phylogenetic Tree,Phylogenetic Trees,Phylogenomics,Analyse, Phylogenetic,Analysis, Phylogenetic,Analysis, Phylogenetic Comparative,Clustering, Phylogenetic,Community Phylogenetic,Comparative Analysis, Phylogenetic,Comparative Method, Phylogenetic,Distance, Phylogenetic,Group, Phylogenetic,Incongruence, Phylogenetic,Inference, Phylogenetic,Method, Phylogenetic Comparative,Molecular Phylogenetic,Network, Phylogenetic,Phylogenetic Analyse,Phylogenetic Clusterings,Phylogenetic Comparative Analyses,Phylogenetic Comparative Method,Phylogenetic Distances,Phylogenetic Group,Phylogenetic Incongruences,Phylogenetic Inferences,Phylogenetic Network,Phylogenetic Reconstructions,Phylogenetic Relatednesses,Phylogenetic Relationship,Phylogenetic Signals,Phylogenetic Structures,Phylogenetic, Community,Phylogenetic, Molecular,Phylogenies,Phylogenomic,Reconstruction, Phylogenetic,Relatedness, Phylogenetic,Relationship, Phylogenetic,Signal, Phylogenetic,Structure, Phylogenetic,Tree, Phylogenetic
D011110	Polymorphism, Genetic	The regular and simultaneous occurrence in a single interbreeding population of two or more discontinuous genotypes. The concept includes differences in genotypes ranging in size from a single nucleotide site (POLYMORPHISM, SINGLE NUCLEOTIDE) to large nucleotide sequences visible at a chromosomal level.	Gene Polymorphism,Genetic Polymorphism,Polymorphism (Genetics),Genetic Polymorphisms,Gene Polymorphisms,Polymorphism, Gene,Polymorphisms (Genetics),Polymorphisms, Gene,Polymorphisms, Genetic
D006801	Humans	Members of the species Homo sapiens.	Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man
D000483	Alleles	Variant forms of the same gene, occupying the same locus on homologous CHROMOSOMES, and governing the variants in production of the same gene product.	Allelomorphs,Allele,Allelomorph
D012903	Smell	The ability to detect scents or odors, such as the function of OLFACTORY RECEPTOR NEURONS.	Olfaction,Sense of Smell,Smell Sense
D014644	Genetic Variation	Genotypic differences observed among individuals in a population.	Genetic Diversity,Variation, Genetic,Diversity, Genetic,Diversities, Genetic,Genetic Diversities,Genetic Variations,Variations, Genetic
D015894	Genome, Human	The complete genetic complement contained in the DNA of a set of CHROMOSOMES in a HUMAN. The length of the human genome is about 3 billion base pairs.	Human Genome,Genomes, Human,Human Genomes