Ethanol hypersensitivity and olfactory discrimination defect in mice lacking a homolog of Drosophila neuralized.

ABSTRACT: Neurogenic genes in the Notch receptor-mediated signaling pathway play important roles in neuronal cell fate specification as well as neuronal differentiation. The Drosophila neuralized gene is one of the neurogenic genes. We have cloned a mouse homolog of Drosophila neuralized, m-neu1, and found that the m-neu1 transcript is expressed in differentiated neurons. Mice deficient for m-neu1 are viable and morphologically normal, but exhibit specific defects in olfactory discrimination and hypersensitivity to ethanol. These findings reveal an essential role of m-neu1 in ensuring proper processing of certain information in the adult brain.

SUBMITTER: Ruan Y 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC55551 | biostudies-literature | 2001 Aug

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature