• Molecules and Cells
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• 제41권2호
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• pp.150-159
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• 2018

Animals use their odorant receptors to receive chemical information from the environment. Insect odorant receptors differ from the G protein-coupled odorant receptors in vertebrates and nematodes, and very little is known about their protein-protein interactions. Here, we introduce a mass spectrometric platform designed for the large-scale analysis of insect odorant receptor protein-protein interactions. Using this platform, we obtained the first Orco interactome from Drosophila melanogaster. From a total of 1,186 identified proteins, we narrowed the interaction candidates to 226, of which only two-thirds have been named. These candidates include the known olfactory proteins Or92a and Obp51a. Around 90% of the proteins having published names likely function inside the cell, and nearly half of these intracellular proteins are associated with the endomembrane system. In a basic loss-of-function electrophysiological screen, we found that the disruption of eight (i.e., Rab5, CG32795, Mpcp, Tom70, Vir-1, CG30427, Eaat1, and CG2781) of 28 randomly selected candidates affects olfactory responses in vivo. Thus, because this Orco interactome includes physiologically meaningful candidates, we anticipate that our platform will help guide further research on the molecular mechanisms of the insect odorant receptor family.

• Genomics & Informatics
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• 제19권2호
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• pp.18.1-18.8
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• 2021

G protein–coupled receptors (GPCRs), including olfactory receptors, account for the largest group of genes in the human genome and occupy a very important position in signaling systems. Although olfactory receptors, which belong to the broader category of GPCRs, play an important role in monitoring the organism's surroundings, their actual three-dimensional structure has not yet been determined. Therefore, the specific details of the molecular interactions between the receptor and the ligand remain unclear. In this report, the interactions between human olfactory receptor 1A1 and its odorant molecules were simulated using computational methods, and we explored how the chemically simple odorant molecules activate the olfactory receptor.

• Molecules and Cells
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• 제40권12호
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• pp.954-965
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• 2017

Mammalian genomes are well established, and highly conserved regions within odorant receptors that are unique from other G-protein coupled receptors have been identified. Numerous functional studies have focused on specific conserved amino acids motifs; however, not all conserved motifs have been sufficiently characterized. Here, we identified a highly conserved 18 amino acid sequence motif within transmembrane domain seven (CAS-TM7) which was identified by aligning odorant receptor sequences. Next, we investigated the expression pattern and distribution of this conserved amino acid motif among a broad range of odorant receptors. To examine the localization of odorant receptor proteins, we used a sequence-specific peptide antibody against CAS-TM7 which is specific to odorant receptors across species. The specificity of this peptide antibody in recognizing odorant receptors has been confirmed in a heterologous in vitro system and a rat-based in vivo system. The CAS-TM7 odorant receptors localized with distinct patterns at each region of the olfactory epithelium; septum, endoturbinate and ectoturbinate. To our great interests, we found that the CAS-TM7 odorant receptors are primarily localized to the dorsal region of the olfactory bulb, coinciding with olfactory epithelium-based patterns. Also, these odorant receptors were ectopically expressed in the various non-olfactory tissues in an evolutionary constrained manner between human and rats. This study has characterized the expression patterns of odorant receptors containing particular amino acid motif in transmembrane domain 7, and which led to an intriguing possibility that the conserved motif of odorant receptors can play critical roles in other physiological functions as well as olfaction.

• Molecules and Cells
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• 제38권6호
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• pp.535-539
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• 2015

Olfactory stimulation activates multiple signaling cascades in order to mediate activity-driven changes in gene expression that promote neuronal survival. To date, the mechanisms involved in activity-dependent olfactory neuronal survival have yet to be fully elucidated. In the current study, we observed that olfactory sensory stimulation, which caused neuronal activation, promoted activation of the phosphatidylinositol 3'-kinase (PI3K)/Akt pathway and the expression of Bcl-2, which were responsible for olfactory receptor neuron (ORN) survival. We demonstrated that Bcl-2 expression increased after odorant stimulation both in vivo and in vitro. We also showed that odorant stimulation activated Akt, and that Akt activation was completely blocked by incubation with both a PI3K inhibitor (LY294002) and Akt1 small interfering RNA. Moreover, blocking the PI3K/Akt pathway diminished the odorantinduced Bcl-2 expression, as well as the effects on odorant-induced ORN survival. A temporal difference was noted between the activation of Akt1 and the expression of Bcl-2 following odorant stimulation. Blocking the PI3K/Akt pathway did not affect ORN survival in the time range prior to the increase in Bcl-2 expression, implying that these two events, activation of the PI3K pathway and Bcl-2 induction, were tightly connected to promote post-translational ORN survival. Collectively, our results indicated that olfactory activity activated PI3K/Akt, induced Bcl-2, and promoted long term ORN survival as a result.

• Biomolecules & Therapeutics
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• 제32권2호
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• pp.192-204
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• 2024

Generally, odorant molecules are detected by olfactory receptors, which are specialized chemoreceptors expressed in olfactory neurons. Besides odorant molecules, certain volatile molecules can be inhaled through the respiratory tract, often leading to pathophysiological changes in the body. These inhaled molecules mediate cellular signaling through the activation of the Ca²⁺-permeable transient receptor potential (TRP) channels in peripheral tissues. This review provides a comprehensive overview of TRP channels that are involved in the detection and response to volatile molecules, including hazardous substances, anesthetics, plant-derived compounds, and pheromones. The review aims to shed light on the biological mechanisms underlying the sensing of inhaled volatile molecules. Therefore, this review will contribute to a better understanding of the roles of TRP channels in the response to inhaled molecules, providing insights into their implications for human health and disease.

• Reproductive and Developmental Biology
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• 제34권1호
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• pp.7-13
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• 2010

The binding affinity constants ($p(Od)_{50}$) and molecular docking scores (OS) between porcine odorant binding proteins pOBP (1HQP) and pPBP (1GM6) as receptor and a series of tetrahydrofuran-2-yl (A & B) analogues as substrate, and their interactions were discussed quantitatively using three-dimensional quantitative structure-activity relationship (30-QSAR) models. The statistical qualities of the optimized CoMF A models for pOBP were better than those of the CoMSIA models. The binding affinity constants and OS between substrate and receptor molecules were dependent upon steric and hydrophobic interaction. The DS constants of the substrates into the binding site of OBP (1HQP) were bigger than those of PBP (1GM6). The resulting contour maps produced by the optimized CoMFA model were used to identify the structural features relevant to the binding affinity in binding site of pOBP.

• Reproductive and Developmental Biology
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• 제33권3호
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• pp.119-123
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• 2009

The two dimensional quantitative structure-activity relationships (2D-QSARs) models concerning the binding affinity constants ($p[Od.]_{50}$) between 2-cyclohexyltetrahydropyrane and 2-cyclohexyltetrahydrofurane analogues as substrates, and bovine odorant binding protein (bOBP) as receptor were derived by multiple regression analyses method and discussed. The statistical quality of the optimized 2D-QSAR model (5) was good (r=0.907). From the model, the binding affinity constants ($p[Od.]_{50}$) were dependent upon the optimal value ($(TL)_{opt.}$=2.737) of total lipole (TL) of substrate molecules. Based on these findings, the high active compounds predicted by optimized 2D-QSAR model (5) were 2-(dimethylcyclohexyl)tetrahydropyrane molecule and their isomer molecules. The binding affinity constants regarding bOBP of the tetrahydrofuryl-2-yl family compounds were dependent upon the hydrophobicity (logP) of whole substrate molecules. In any case of porcine odorant-binding proteins (pOBP), the constants were dependent upon the hydrophobicity (${\pi}x={\log}P_X-{\log}P_H$) of substituents (R) in substrate molecules. Also, from the optimal values of hydrophobic constant, the hydrophobicity for bOBP influenced ca. twice time bigger (bOBP>pOBP) than that for pOBP.

• BMB Reports
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• 제54권12호
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• pp.601-607
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• 2021

Odorant receptors (ORs) account for about 60% of all human G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs). OR expression outside of the nose has functions distinct from odor perception, and may contribute to the pathogenesis of disorders including brain diseases and cancers. Glioma is the most common adult malignant brain tumor and requires novel therapeutic strategies to improve clinical outcomes. Here, we outlined the expression of brain ORs and investigated OR expression levels in glioma. Although most ORs were not ubiquitously expressed in gliomas, a subset of ORs displayed glioma subtype-specific expression. Moreover, through systematic survival analysis on OR genes, OR51E1 (mouse Olfr558) was identified as a potential biomarker of unfavorable overall survival, and OR2C1 (mouse Olfr15) was identified as a potential biomarker of favorable overall survival in isocitrate dehydrogenase (IDH) wild-type glioma. In addition to transcriptomic analysis, mutational profiles revealed that somatic mutations in OR genes were detected in > 60% of glioma samples. OR5D18 (mouse Olfr1155) was the most frequently mutated OR gene, and OR5AR1 (mouse Olfr1019) showed IDH wild-type-specific mutation. Based on this systematic analysis and review of the genomic and transcriptomic profiles of ORs in glioma, we suggest that ORs are potential biomarkers and therapeutic targets for glioma.

• BMB Reports
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• 제55권2호
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• pp.72-80
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• 2022

Odorant receptors (ORs), the largest subfamily of G protein-coupled receptors, detect odorants in the nose. In addition, ORs were recently shown to be expressed in many nonolfactory tissues and cells, indicating that these receptors have physiological and pathophysiological roles beyond olfaction. Many ORs are expressed by tumor cells and tissues, suggesting that they may be associated with cancer progression or may be cancer biomarkers. This review describes OR expression in various types of cancer and the association of these receptors with various types of signaling mechanisms. In addition, the clinical relevance and significance of the levels of OR expression were evaluated. Namely, levels of OR expression in cancer were analyzed based on RNA-sequencing data reported in the Cancer Genome Atlas; OR expression patterns were visualized using t-distributed stochastic neighbor embedding (t-SNE); and the associations between patient survival and levels of OR expression were analyzed. These analyses of the relationships between patient survival and expression patterns obtained from an open mRNA database in cancer patients indicate that ORs may be cancer biomarkers and therapeutic targets.

• 한국생물공학회:학술대회논문집
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• 한국생물공학회 2003년도 생물공학의 동향(XII)
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• pp.639-642
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• 2003

본 연구는 후각 수용 단백질인 ODR10를 GST와 Histidine tag를 각각 N 말단과 C 말단에 삽입한 후 두 가지의 발현 벡터에 넣어 대장균에서 발현시켰다. 부분 정제된 단백질을 QCM의 수정진동자에 코팅한 후 여러 종류의 냄새 분자와의 상호 작용을 관찰하였다. 발현양은 적었지만 QCM실험 결과 발현된 단백질이 diacetyl과 반응한다는 것을 알 수 있었다. ODR10 단백질과 diacetyl의 결합 정도는 다른 냄새 분자와 비교했을 때 $5{\sim}10$배 정도 차이가 났으며 이를 통해 후각 수용 단백질을 발현시킨 대장균 세포들을 후각센서를 개발하는데 사용할 수 있다는 것을 알 수 있었다. 또한 현재까지는 1000가지 이상 존재한다고 알려진 후각 수용 단백질들이 어떤 냄새 분자와 특이적인 결합성을 가지는지 조사하기 위해서는 복잡하고 시간이 오래 걸리는 실험을 해야 했었지만, 대장균에서 발현시키는 시스템을 통해 경제적이고 효율적으로 조사를 할 수 있게 되었다.