Making sense of scents: Deciphering our sense of smell
Scientists at the University of California - San Francisco (UCSF) have created the first molecular-level, 3D picture of how an odour molecule activates a human odorant receptor, a crucial step in deciphering the sense of smell.
They used cryo-electron microscopy to visualise how a scent molecule binds to the OR51E2 receptor, which responds to propionate and contributes to the pungent smell of Swiss cheese.
The study is significant for fragrance, food science, and other applications that rely on olfactory receptors. The team is developing more efficient techniques to study other odorant-receptor pairs and understand the non-olfactory biology associated with the receptors.
Comments
Post a Comment