Transcriptional adaptation of olfactory sensory neurons to GPCR identity and activity

Olfaction in mammals relies on a toolbox composed of a varied set of sensory neurons. Here, the authors report in mice that this olfactory neuronal diversity relies both on the chemoreceptor that each neuron expresses and on the experience of this neuron. In mammals, chemoperception relies on a diverse set of neuronal sensors able to detect chemicals present in the environment, and to adapt to various levels of stimulation. The contribution of endogenous and external factors to these neuronal identities remains to be determined. Taking advantage of the parallel coding lines present in the olfactory system, we explored the potential variations of neuronal identities before and after olfactory experience. We found that at rest, the transcriptomic profiles of mouse olfactory sensory neuron populations are already divergent, specific to the olfactory receptor they express, and are associated with the sequence of these latter. These divergent profiles further evolve in response to the environment, as odorant exposure leads to reprogramming via the modulation of transcription. These findings highlight a broad range of sensory neuron identities that are present at rest and that adapt to the experience of the individual, thus adding to the complexity and flexibility of sensory coding.

Automated summary

This study reveals that the diversity of olfactory neurons in mice is influenced by both the chemoreceptor expressed by each neuron and the experience of that neuron. The transcriptomic profiles of mouse olfactory sensory neurons are already divergent at rest, specific to the olfactory receptor they express, and can further evolve in response to environmental stimuli. These findings contribute to our understanding of the complexity and adaptability of sensory coding.