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Atlantic salmon change the expression of odorant receptor genes to learn the smell of home
Author(s) -
Jordan W. C.,
Dukes J. P.,
Deaville R.,
Bruford M. W.,
Youngson A. F.
Publication year - 2003
Publication title -
journal of fish biology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.672
H-Index - 115
eISSN - 1095-8649
pISSN - 0022-1112
DOI - 10.1111/j.1095-8649.2003.0216r.x
Subject(s) - biology , spawn (biology) , olfaction , vomeronasal organ , sensory system , homing (biology) , population , pheromone , olfactory epithelium , zoology , olfactory receptor , olfactory system , transient receptor potential channel , receptor , sex pheromone , ecology , neuroscience , genetics , demography , sociology
The ability of salmon to home to their natal stream to spawn has long intrigued biologists. It is known that olfaction is crucial to accurate homing, and that the transition between freshwater and marine environments (the parr‐smolt transformation; PST) is a period of increased olfactory sensitivity and learning, resulting in a permanent memory of natal site odours that is retained in peripheral sensory neurons. These odours are then used as cues by sexually maturing fish on their homeward migration. We have used molecular techniques to demonstrate transient increases in expression of odourant receptor transcripts coincident with PST. Both olfactory and vomeronasal receptors are involved, which suggests that the fish learn both environmental odours and semiochemicals (pheromones). Receptor expression varies between families and changes over time indicating both genetic differences in odour stimuli and multiple periods of olfactory sensitivity. We hypothesise that changes in gene expression may have a role in maintaining population structure in Atlantic salmon.