# Mechanisms of Trace Amine-associated Receptor Gene Choice

> **NIH NIH R01** · NORTHWESTERN UNIVERSITY · 2022 · $567,734

## Abstract

Project Summary
 Odorant receptor (OR) genes exhibit an unusual form of random monoallelic expression, commonly
referred to as monogenic or singular expression. In the mouse, olfactory sensory neurons express one allele
of one OR gene from a large repertoire of >1,000 genes scattered throughout the genome. Current models for
OR choice involve epigenetic mechanisms orchestrated by a genome-wide network of distributed enhancers.
The Trace Amine Associated Receptors (TAARs) constitute a small olfactory receptor gene family that is also
subject to singular expression. However, the epigenetic properties of TAARs differ from ORs in a number of
key ways, calling into question whether both share a common mechanism of singular expression.
 The goal of this proposal is to characterize the mechanisms of singular expression of TAAR genes. We
have identified the local enhancers that govern TAAR gene expression and will exploit this knowledge to test
hypotheses about how these regulator elements orchestrate choice. The Aims of the proposal are to 1)
identify the sequence motifs that are required for enhancer function, 2) elucidate the specificity and spatial
extent of enhancer function, and 3) characterize the three-dimensional interaction landscape of the TAAR gene
cluster. These experiments exploit unique aspects of the TAAR cluster to test and extend current models of
monoallelic expression—a phenomenon that plays a critical role in myriad biological processes including
dosage compensation, cell-type specification, phenotypic variation and disease pathogenesis.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10454158
- **Project number:** 5R01DC018738-03
- **Recipient organization:** NORTHWESTERN UNIVERSITY
- **Principal Investigator:** Thomas Bozza
- **Activity code:** R01 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2022
- **Award amount:** $567,734
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 2020-08-01 → 2025-07-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10454158

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10454158, Mechanisms of Trace Amine-associated Receptor Gene Choice (5R01DC018738-03). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-22 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10454158. Licensed CC0.

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