Genetic and functional odorant receptor variation in the Homo lineage
Summary: Humans, Neanderthals, and Denisovans independently adapted to a wide range of geographic environments and their associated food odors. Using ancient DNA sequences, we explored the in vitro function of thirty odorant receptor genes in the genus Homo. Our extinct relatives had highly conserve...
| Main Authors: | , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Elsevier
2023-01-01
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| Series: | iScience |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2589004222021812 |
| _version_ | 1797946149358796800 |
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| author | Claire A. de March Hiroaki Matsunami Masashi Abe Matthew Cobb Kara C. Hoover |
| author_facet | Claire A. de March Hiroaki Matsunami Masashi Abe Matthew Cobb Kara C. Hoover |
| author_sort | Claire A. de March |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Summary: Humans, Neanderthals, and Denisovans independently adapted to a wide range of geographic environments and their associated food odors. Using ancient DNA sequences, we explored the in vitro function of thirty odorant receptor genes in the genus Homo. Our extinct relatives had highly conserved olfactory receptor sequence, but humans did not. Variations in odorant receptor protein sequence and structure may have produced variation in odor detection and perception. Variants led to minimal changes in specificity but had more influence on functional sensitivity. The few Neanderthal variants disturbed function, whereas Denisovan variants increased sensitivity to sweet and sulfur odors. Geographic adaptations may have produced greater functional variation in our lineage, increasing our olfactory repertoire and expanding our adaptive capacity. Our survey of olfactory genes and odorant receptors suggests that our genus has a shared repertoire with possible local ecological adaptations. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-10T21:06:22Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-545f2e995911418e9c695b197973935c |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2589-0042 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-10T21:06:22Z |
| publishDate | 2023-01-01 |
| publisher | Elsevier |
| record_format | Article |
| series | iScience |
| spelling | doaj.art-545f2e995911418e9c695b197973935c2023-01-22T04:41:50ZengElsevieriScience2589-00422023-01-01261105908Genetic and functional odorant receptor variation in the Homo lineageClaire A. de March0Hiroaki Matsunami1Masashi Abe2Matthew Cobb3Kara C. Hoover4Institut de Chimie des Substances Naturelles, UPR2301 CNRS, Université Paris-Saclay, Gif-sur-Yvette 91190, France; Department of Molecular Genetics and Microbiology, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC 27710, USA; Department of Neurobiology, Duke Institute for Brain Sciences, Duke University, Durham, NC 27710, USA; Corresponding authorDepartment of Molecular Genetics and Microbiology, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC 27710, USA; Department of Neurobiology, Duke Institute for Brain Sciences, Duke University, Durham, NC 27710, USADepartment of Molecular Genetics and Microbiology, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC 27710, USA; Department of Biotechnology and Life Science, Tokyo University of Agriculture and Technology, Tokyo 184-8588, JapanFaculty of Life Sciences, The University of Manchester, Oxford Road, Manchester M13 9PL, UKDepartment of Anthropology, University of Alaska Fairbanks, Fairbanks, AK 99775, USA; Corresponding authorSummary: Humans, Neanderthals, and Denisovans independently adapted to a wide range of geographic environments and their associated food odors. Using ancient DNA sequences, we explored the in vitro function of thirty odorant receptor genes in the genus Homo. Our extinct relatives had highly conserved olfactory receptor sequence, but humans did not. Variations in odorant receptor protein sequence and structure may have produced variation in odor detection and perception. Variants led to minimal changes in specificity but had more influence on functional sensitivity. The few Neanderthal variants disturbed function, whereas Denisovan variants increased sensitivity to sweet and sulfur odors. Geographic adaptations may have produced greater functional variation in our lineage, increasing our olfactory repertoire and expanding our adaptive capacity. Our survey of olfactory genes and odorant receptors suggests that our genus has a shared repertoire with possible local ecological adaptations.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2589004222021812AnthropologyArcheologyEvolutionary biologyMolecular biology |
| spellingShingle | Claire A. de March Hiroaki Matsunami Masashi Abe Matthew Cobb Kara C. Hoover Genetic and functional odorant receptor variation in the Homo lineage iScience Anthropology Archeology Evolutionary biology Molecular biology |
| title | Genetic and functional odorant receptor variation in the Homo lineage |
| title_full | Genetic and functional odorant receptor variation in the Homo lineage |
| title_fullStr | Genetic and functional odorant receptor variation in the Homo lineage |
| title_full_unstemmed | Genetic and functional odorant receptor variation in the Homo lineage |
| title_short | Genetic and functional odorant receptor variation in the Homo lineage |
| title_sort | genetic and functional odorant receptor variation in the homo lineage |
| topic | Anthropology Archeology Evolutionary biology Molecular biology |
| url | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2589004222021812 |
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