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1: Nat Genet. 1998 Mar;18(3):243-50.Click here to read Links
Erratum in:
Nat Genet 1998 May;19(1):102.

Distribution of olfactory receptor genes in the human genome.

Rouquier S, Taviaux S, Trask BJ, Brand-Arpon V, van den Engh G, Demaille J, Giorgi D.

CRBM, CNRS ERS 155, Montpellier, France.

We demonstrate that members of the olfactory receptor (OR) gene family are distributed on all but a few human chromosomes. Through FISH analysis, we show that OR sequences reside at more than 25 locations in the human genome. Their distribution is biased for terminal bands. Flow-sorted chromosomes were used to isolate 87 OR sequences derived from 16 chromosomes. Their sequence-relationships are indicative of the inter- and intrachromosomal duplications responsible for OR family expansion. The human genome has accumulated a striking number of dysfunctional copies: 72% of the sequences are pseudogenes. ORF-containing sequences predominate on chromosomes 7, 16 and 17.

PMID: 9500546 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]