Genes encoding insect odorant receptors and uses thereof

Abstract

This invention provides an isolated nucleic acid molecule encoding an insect odorant receptor. This invention provides a nucleic acid molecule of at least 12 nucleotides capable of specifically hybridizing with the nucleic acid molecule encoding an insect odorant receptor. This invention also provides a purified, insect odorant receptor. This invention provides an antibody capable of specifically binding to an insect odorant receptor. This invention provides a method for identifying cDNA inserts encoding an insect odorant receptors. This invention provides a method of identifying a compound capable of specifically bind to an insect odorant receptor. This invention also provides a method of identifying a compound capable of activating the activity of an insect odorant receptor.

Description

[0001] This application is a continuation of U.S. Ser. No. 09 / 932,227, filed Aug. 17, 2001, which is a continuation of PCT International Application No. PCT / US00 / 04995, filed Feb. 25, 2000, which was a continuation-in-part of, and claimed priority of, U.S. Ser. No. 09 / 257,706, filed Feb. 25, 1999, now abandoned, the contents of all of which are hereby incorporated by reference into the subject application.[0002] The invention disclosed herein was made with Government support under NIH:NIMH, 5P50, MH50733-05 and NINDS, NS29832-07 from the Department of Health and Human Services. Accordingly, the U.S. Government has certain rights in this invention.[0003] Throughout this application, various publications are referred to by arabic numeral within parentheses. Full citations for these publications are presented immediately before the claims. Disclosures of these publications in their entireties are hereby incorporated by reference into this application in order to more fully describe the...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

This patent describes an isolated nucleic acid that encodes an insect odorant receptor. The receptor is made up of a polypeptide with seven transmembrane domains and a C-terminal domain. The nucleic acid also includes a specific sequence of amino acids that is necessary for the receptor to function properly. The invention also provides a vector and a host system for producing the receptor. The technical effect of this patent is the ability to create an isolated nucleic acid that encodes an insect odorant receptor, which can be used to develop a method for producing a polypeptide with the biological activity of an insect odorant receptor.

Problems solved by technology

Humans, for example, are thought to recognize over 10,000 discrete odors with exquisite discriminatory power such that subtle differences in chemical structure can often lead to profound differences in perceived odor quality.

Thus, unlike color vision in which three photoreceptors can absorb light across the entire visible spectrum, these data suggest that a small number of odorant receptors are insufficient to recognize the full spectrum of distinct molecular structures perceived by the olfactory system.

Thus, this invertebrate olfactory sensory system retains the ability to recognize a vast array of odorants but has only limited discriminatory power.

Despite the elucidation of a precise spatial map, it has been difficult in vertebrates to discern how this information is decoded to relate the recognition of odors to specific behavioral responses.

However, in the absence of the genes encoding the receptor molecules, it has not been possible to define a physical basis for this spatial map.

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