Olfactory Receptor - Families

Families

A nomenclature system has been devised for the olfactory receptor family and is the basis for the official Human Genome Project (HUGO) symbols for the genes that encode these receptors. The names of individual olfactory receptor family members are in the format "ORnXm" where:

  • OR is the root name (Olfactory Receptor superfamily)
  • n = an integer representing a family (e.g., 1-56) whose members have greater than 40% sequence identity,
  • X = a single letter (A, B, C, ...) denoting a subfamily (>60% sequence identity), and
  • m = an integer representing an individual family member (isoform).

For example OR1A1 is the first isoform of subfamily A of olfactory receptor family 1.

Members belonging to the same subfamily of olfactory receptors (>60% sequence identity) are likely to recognize structurally similar odorant molecules.

Two major classes of olfactory receptors have been identified in humans:

  • class I (fish-like receptors) OR families 51-56
  • class II (tetrapod specific receptors) OR families 1-13

Read more about this topic:  Olfactory Receptor

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