ArticleMolecular biology and evolution2018
The Birth and Death of Olfactory Receptor Gene Families in Mammalian Niche Adaptation.
Article in Molecular biology and evolution, 2018. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 74 papers.
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Who cites it
74 citing papers in PubMed, 152 citations in OpenAlex.
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- Genome Scans Reveal Species-Specific Selection in the Genus Lynx.Genome biology and evolution · 2026Article
- Extraordinary diversity of antiviral immune-related gene families across 38 bat species.BMC biology · 2026Article
- Extra-nasal odorant receptors: molecular mechanisms and therapeutic implications.Frontiers in physiology · 2026Review
- Hagfish olfactory repertoire illuminates lineage-specific diversification of olfaction in basal vertebrates.iScience · 2025Article
- The olfactory bulb endocast as a proxy for mammalian olfaction.Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America · 2025Article
- Divergent selection, recombination variability, and noncoding introgression drive speciation and adaptation in threadfin Eleutheronema.Communications biology · 2025Article
- Gene Family Expansions Provide Molecular Flexibility Required for Context-Dependent Species Interactions.Ecology letters · 2025Article
- Life history and chromosome organization determine chemoreceptor gene expression in rattlesnakes.The Journal of heredity · 2025Article
- Convergent reduction of olfactory genes and olfactory bulb size in mammalian species at altitude.Current biology : CB · 2025Article
- Decoding deception: the binding affinity of cuttlefish ink on shark smell receptors.G3 (Bethesda, Md.) · 2025Article
- Genetic and Anatomical Determinants of Olfaction in Dogs and Wild Canids.Molecular biology and evolution · 2025Article
- Convergent Evolution and Predictability of Gene Copy Numbers Associated with Diets in Mammals.Genome biology and evolution · 2025Article
- Diversity in chemosensory receptor genes in dogs and wolves: degeneration of the olfactory receptor gene repertoire in the brachycephalic Pug.Chemical senses · 2025Article
- Article
- A Comparative Genomics Approach to Understanding the Evolution of Olfaction in Cetaceans.Journal of molecular evolution · 2024Article
- Genomes of Microtus Rodents Highlight the Importance of Olfactory and Immune Systems in Their Fast Radiation.Genome biology and evolution · 2024Article
14 more citing papers are in PubMed but not listed here.
Corrections and comments
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Authors and funding
6 authors at 2 institutions in 2 countries.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
The olfactory receptor (OR) gene families, which govern mammalian olfaction, have undergone extensive expansion and contraction through duplication and pseudogenization. Previous studies have shown that broadly defined environmental adaptations (e.g., terrestrial vs. aquatic) are correlated with the number of functional and non-functional OR genes retained. However, to date, no study has examined species-specific gene duplications in multiple phylogenetically divergent mammals to elucidate OR evolution and adaptation. Here, we identify the OR gene families driving adaptation to different ecological niches by mapping the fate of species-specific gene duplications in the OR repertoire of 94 diverse mammalian taxa, using molecular phylogenomic methods. We analyze >70,000 OR gene sequences mined from whole genomes, generated from novel amplicon sequencing data, and collated with data from previous studies, comprising one of the largest OR studies to date. For the first time, we demonstrate statistically significant patterns of OR species-specific gene duplications associated with the presence of a functioning vomeronasal organ. With respect to dietary niche, we uncover a novel link between a large number of duplications in OR family 5/8/9 and herbivory. Our results also highlight differences between social and solitary niches, indicating that a greater OR repertoire expansion may be associated with a solitary lifestyle. This study demonstrates the utility of species-specific duplications in elucidating gene family evolution, revealing how the OR repertoire has undergone expansion and contraction with respect to a number of ecological adaptations in mammals.
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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.