Function of family-C V2R genes: an integrated analysis of DeltaV2R-C mice

老鼠的嗅觉系统（嗅觉）由一个主嗅觉系统和一个犁鼻系统组成。主嗅觉系统中的嗅觉感觉神经元介导对气味的一般探测。犁鼻感觉神经元被认为是专门检测信息素-化学线索，调解各种先天嗅觉驱动的行为。基底犁鼻感觉神经元表达犁鼻受体-2基因的两个亚型：一个来自abd家族的基因和一个来自c家族的基因，后者是一个由7个同源基因组成的家族。我们在此提议阐明c家族V2R基因的体内功能，通过整合分析一个新的菌株ΔV2R-C小鼠，其中包含这七个基因的基因组区域已被染色体工程删除。解剖、分子、生理和行为实验将在两个参与实验室之间进行。我们将测试家族- c V2R基因表达是这些神经元发育、功能或存活所必需的假设，可能是通过与家族- abd V2R受体的分子相互作用。

The mouse olfactory system (sense of smell) consists of a main olfactory system and a vomeronasal system. Olfactory sensory neurons in the main olfactory system mediate the ‚general’ detection of odorants. Vomeronasal sensory neurons are thought to be specialized in the detection of pheromones – chemical cues that mediate a variety of innate olfactory-driven behaviors. Basal vomeronasal sensory neurons express two subtypes of vomeronasal receptor-2 genes: one gene from family-ABD together with one gene from family-C, which is a family of seven homologous genes. We here propose to elucidate the in vivo function of the family-C V2R genes, by integrated analysis of a novel strain of ΔV2R-C mice, in which the genomic region encompassing these seven genes has been deleted by chromosome engineering. Anatomical, molecular, physiological, and behavioral experiments are proposed between the two participating laboratories. We will test the hypothesis that family-C V2R gene expression is required for development, function, or survival of these neurons, possibly by molecular interactions with family-ABD V2R receptors.