Olfactory receptor 1A1 is a
protein
Proteins are large biomolecules and macromolecules that comprise one or more long chains of amino acid residues. Proteins perform a vast array of functions within organisms, including catalysing metabolic reactions, DNA replication, respo ...
that in humans is encoded by the ''OR1A1''
gene
In biology, the word gene (from , ; "...Wilhelm Johannsen coined the word gene to describe the Mendelian units of heredity..." meaning ''generation'' or ''birth'' or ''gender'') can have several different meanings. The Mendelian gene is a ba ...
.
Olfactory receptors interact with odorant molecules in the nose, to initiate a neuronal response that triggers the perception of a smell. The olfactory receptor proteins are members of a large family of G-protein-coupled receptors (GPCR) arising from single coding-exon genes. Olfactory receptors share a 7-transmembrane domain structure with many neurotransmitter and hormone receptors and are responsible for the recognition and G protein-mediated transduction of odorant signals. The olfactory receptor gene family is the largest in the genome. The nomenclature assigned to the olfactory receptor genes and proteins for this organism is independent of other organisms.
Ligands
OR1A1 is relatively broadly tuned, meaning it responds to a relatively wide variety of different odor molecules.
Examples of known ligands, most of which have citrus or fruity smells:
* (S)-(−)-
citronellal
Citronellal or rhodinal ( C10 H18 O) is a monoterpenoid aldehyde, the main component in the mixture of terpenoid chemical compounds that give citronella oil its distinctive lemon scent.
Citronellal is a main isolate in distilled oils from the pl ...
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Helional
Helional (from heliotropin, from which is it commonly derived) is a chemical compound used as a perfume in soap and laundry detergent. Chemically it is an aldehyde with a hydrocinnamaldehyde motif; a structural element which is present in a num ...
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Heptanal
Heptanal or heptanaldehyde is an alkyl aldehyde. It is a colourless liquid with a strong fruity odor, which is used as precursor to components in perfumes and lubricants.
Production
The formation of heptanal in the fractional distillation of cas ...
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Octanal
Octanal is the organic compound, an aldehyde, with the chemical formula CH3(CH2)6CHO. A colorless fragrant liquid with a fruit-like odor, it occurs naturally in citrus oils. It is used commercially as a component in perfumes and in flavor produ ...
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Nonanal
Nonanal, also called nonanaldehyde, pelargonaldehyde or Aldehyde C-9, is an aldehyde. A colourless, oily liquid, nonanal is a component of perfumes. Although it occurs in several natural oils, it is produced commercially by hydroformylation of 1 ...
(weaker than heptanal/octanal
)
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Hydroxycitronellal
Hydroxycitronellal (7-hydroxy-3,7-dimethyloctanal) is an odorant used in perfumery. Its molecular formula is C10 H20 O2.
It derives from a citronellal. 7-Hydroxy-3, 7-dimethyloctanal, also known as 3, 7-dimethyl-7-hydroxyoctan-1-al or 7-hydroxy ...
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Citral
Citral is an acyclic monoterpene aldehyde, and being a monoterpene, it is made of two isoprene units. Citral is a collective term which covers two geometric isomers that have their own separate names; the ''E''-isomer is named geranial (''trans ...
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Citronellol
Citronellol, or dihydrogeraniol, is a natural acyclic monoterpenoid. Both enantiomers occur in nature. (+)-Citronellol, which is found in citronella oils, including ''Cymbopogon nardus'' (50%), is the more common isomer. (−)-Citronellol is w ...
(both enantiomers, weaker than citronellal
)
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Dihydrojasmone
Dihydrojasmone is an aroma compound with the chemical formula C11H18O. It has a fruity, jasmine odor with woody and herbal undertones. Perfumery uses include natural green, woody, lavender and bergamot. Dihydrojasmone is found in citrus and in be ...
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Thiol
In organic chemistry, a thiol (; ), or thiol derivative, is any organosulfur compound of the form , where R represents an alkyl or other organic substituent. The functional group itself is referred to as either a thiol group or a sulfhydryl gro ...
s
See also
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Olfactory receptor
Olfactory receptors (ORs), also known as odorant receptors, are chemoreceptors expressed in the cell membranes of olfactory receptor neurons and are responsible for the detection of odorants (for example, compounds that have an odor) which give ri ...
References
Further reading
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External links
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{{Olfactory receptors
Olfactory receptors