Molecular study of the epigenome involved in the regulation of olfactory receptor gene expression

• Grant number: 12/01689-0
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Doctorate (Direct)
• Start date: March 01, 2012
• End date: February 28, 2013
• Field of knowledge: Biological Sciences - Biochemistry - Molecular Biology
• Principal Investigator: Fabio Papes
• Grantee: Vinicius Miessler de Andrade Carvalho
• Host Institution: Instituto de Biologia (IB). Universidade Estadual de Campinas (UNICAMP). Campinas , SP, Brazil
• Associated research grant: 09/00473-0 - Molecular biology of the olfactory system in mammals: study on the detection of odors and their neural representation in the brain, AP.JP

Abstract

Chemosensory cells located in the nasal cavity of mammals perform the detection of olfactory stimuli. In these cells, proteins belonging to different GPCR families ('G-protein-coupled-receptors') are expressed in a very peculiar fashion: each sensory cell expresses only one of over a thousand different possible receptors. This phenomenon, known as the "singularity of olfactory receptor gene expression", sits at the basis of the olfactory system logic of operation. However, the molecular underpinnings of this phenomenon have not been elucidated, even though the involvement of epigenetic mechanisms have been postulated as a possible explanation. In this project, this hypothesis will be tested through the analysis of the epigenome in olfactory sensory neurons expressing different receptors and in different stages along the sensory neuron differentiation lineage. We plan to use an unbiased strategy that will result in the global identification of the epigenetic alterations exhibited by cells expressing a given odorant receptor. Genome regions in the genome identified in this way will be further validated by gain and loss-of-function experiments. This study will shed light onto the role played by epigenetic modifications in the development and function of the olfactory system and in the receptor gene choice process in mammals. (AU)

Scientific publications

(4)

(References retrieved automatically from Web of Science and SciELO through information on FAPESP grants and their corresponding numbers as mentioned in the publications by the authors)

DE ANDRADE CARVALHO, VINICIUS MIESSLER; NAKAHARA, THIAGO SEIKE; PAPES, FABIO. Investigation of Activated Mouse Olfactory Sensory Neurons via Combined Immunostaining and in situ Hybridization. JOVE-JOURNAL OF VISUALIZED EXPERIMENTS, n. 170, APR 2021. (12/04026-1, 12/21786-0, 12/01689-0, 14/25594-3, 09/00473-0, 15/50371-0)

DE ANDRADE CARVALHO, VINICIUS MIESSLER; NAKAHARA, THIAGO SEIKE; DE ANDRADE SOUZA, MATEUS AUGUSTO; CARDOZO, LEONARDO MINETE; TRINTINALIA, GUILHERME ZIEGLER; PISSINATO, LEONARDO GRANATO; VENANCIO, JOSE OTAVIO; STOWERS, LISA; PAPES, FABIO. Representation of Olfactory Information in Organized Active Neural Ensembles in the Hypothalamus. CELL REPORTS, v. 32, n. 8, AUG 25 2020. (10/01211-7, 12/04026-1, 13/03372-6, 15/50371-0, 12/01689-0, 14/25594-3, 09/00473-0)

NAKAHARA, THIAGO SEIKE; CARVALHO, VINICIUS MIESSLER DE ANDRADE; SOUZA, MATEUS AUGUSTO DE ANDRADE; TRINTINALIA, GUILHERME ZIEGLER; PAPES, FABIO. Detection of Activated Mouse Neurons with Temporal Resolution via Dual c-Fos Staining. STAR PROTOCOLS, v. 1, n. 3, p. 27-pg., 2020-12-18. (12/01689-0, 13/03372-6, 15/50371-0, 09/00473-0, 14/25594-3, 12/21786-0, 12/04026-1)

DE ANDRADE CARVALHO, VINICIUS MIESSLER; NAKAHARA, THIAGO SEIKE; PAPES, FABIO. Investigation of Activated Mouse Olfactory Sensory Neurons via Combined Immunostaining and in situ Hybridization. JOVE-JOURNAL OF VISUALIZED EXPERIMENTS, v. N/A, n. 170, p. 16-pg., 2021-04-01. (12/01689-0, 15/50371-0, 09/00473-0, 14/25594-3, 12/21786-0, 12/04026-1)