Olfactory Receptor OR2L3 Screening for Odor Masking
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing methods for screening unpleasant odor masking agents are inefficient due to the reliance on sensory evaluation by experts, and there is a lack of clarity on which olfactory receptors characterize the recognition of unpleasant odors, such as skatole and indole.
Innovation Solution
A method involving the use of olfactory receptor OR2L3 to screen candidate substances for unpleasant odor masking agents. This method involves adding a test substance and an unpleasant odor-causing substance to an olfactory receptor polypeptide, measuring the response, and identifying substances that suppress this response as potential masking agents.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If sensory evaluation by experts is used to screen unpleasant odor masking agents, then the evaluation can be performed with human judgment, but the through-put performance is low and the process is inefficient
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the mechanical system of sensory evaluation by human experts with a biological detection system using olfactory receptors. The olfactory receptor OR2L3 specifically responds to unpleasant odor substances like skatole and indole, providing automated detection that maintains evaluation accuracy while dramatically improving throughput performance by enabling simultaneous screening of multiple candidate substances.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces an intermediary element - the olfactory receptor OR2L3 - which acts as a mediator between the unpleasant odor substances and the detection system. This receptor serves as a bridge that translates chemical odor signals into measurable biological responses, enabling efficient screening without requiring direct human sensory evaluation.
2Adaptability or versatility
If broadly tuned olfactory receptors are used to detect unpleasant odor substances, then a wide range of odorous substances can be recognized, but it remains unclear which receptors characterize the recognition of unpleasant odors
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by focusing on the specific functional property of olfactory receptor OR2L3, which has been identified to have high responsiveness to unpleasant odor substances. While broadly tuned receptors provide wide coverage, OR2L3 exhibits localized specialization for detecting unpleasant odors like skatole and indole, providing both broad adaptability and specific characterization of unpleasant odor recognition.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This method allows for the efficient identification of candidate substances that can inhibit the binding of unpleasant odor-causing substances to OR2L3, effectively masking unpleasant odors, even in complex mixtures.
Implementation Method 1
adding a test substance and an unpleasant odor-causing substance to an olfactory receptor polypeptide selected from the group consisting of OR2L3 and polypeptides which comprise an amino acid sequence having at least 80% identity to an amino acid sequence of OR2L3 and are responsive to the unpleasant odor-causing substance
Data Source
AI summary
The present invention relates to a method for screening a candidate substance for an unpleasant odor masking agent from among test substances using an olfactory receptor that is responsive to an unpleasant odor-causing substance. The screening method of the present invention includes the steps of:adding a test substance and an unpleasant odor-causing substance to an olfactory receptor polypeptide selected from the group consisting of OR2L3 and polypeptides which comprise an amino acid sequence having at least 80% identity to an amino acid sequence of OR2L3 and are responsive to the unpleasant odor-causing substance;measuring a response of the olfactory receptor polypeptide to the unpleasant odor-causing substance; andidentifying the test substance that suppresses the response of the olfactory receptor polypeptide as a candidate substance for the unpleasant odor masking agent based on the measured response.