Effect of B2m gene disruption on MHC-determined odortypes

Major histocompatibility complex (MHC) genes confer individual olfactory identity that can be detected with exquisite accuracy by mice. The fact that MHC genes themselves generate the characteristic odortype, rather than dedicated odor-determining genes, was supported in studies of point mutations i...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Published inImmunogenetics (New York) Vol. 51; no. 7; pp. 514 - 518
Main Authors Bard, J, Yamazaki, K, Curran, M, Boyse, E A, Beauchamp, G K
Format Journal Article
LanguageEnglish
Published United States 05.06.2000
Subjects
Animals
b2-microglobulin
B2m gene
beta 2-Microglobulin - genetics
beta 2-Microglobulin - physiology
Female
Generalization (Psychology)
histocompatibility locus H-2
Major Histocompatibility Complex
Maze Learning
Mice
Mice, Inbred C57BL
Mice, Knockout
Odorants
Pregnancy
Online AccessGet full text

Cover

More Information
Summary:Major histocompatibility complex (MHC) genes confer individual olfactory identity that can be detected with exquisite accuracy by mice. The fact that MHC genes themselves generate the characteristic odortype, rather than dedicated odor-determining genes, was supported in studies of point mutations in H2K and HLA transgenic mice, which evinced distinct odor profiles in olfactory assays. In this article we provide further evidence for a central role of MHC genes themselves in odortype specification by demonstrating that mice that are unable to express their genomic class I MHC genes because they lack beta2-microglobulin are distinguishable by scent from otherwise identical mice which possess an intact B2m gene. This odortype disparity appears at 9-12 days of gestational age, the period in which the MHC is first detectable in fetal cells of normal mice.
Bibliography:ObjectType-Article-2
SourceType-Scholarly Journals-1
ObjectType-Feature-1
content type line 23
ObjectType-Article-1
ObjectType-Feature-2
ISSN:0093-7711
1432-1211
DOI:10.1007/s002510000165