OR4E2 Receptor Screening for Sulfur Odorant Counteractants
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current methods lack an effective way to identify compounds that can counteract malodours from sulfur odorants, which are prevalent in human sweat, laundry, and certain products, impacting personal and industrial applications.
Innovation Solution
A method utilizing the human olfactory receptor OR4E2 to determine if a test compound can inhibit the binding or activation of sulfur odorants, thereby identifying compounds that can counteract perceived malodours, involves contacting OR4E2 with sulfur odorants in the presence and absence of the test compound and comparing binding or activity levels.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If conventional methods are used to identify malodour counteractants, then the identification process is lengthy and resource-intensive, but no effective method exists to screen for compounds that counteract sulfur odorants
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces an olfactory receptor (OR) as an intermediary biological component that mediates between sulfur odorants and test compounds. The OR binds to sulfur odorants and their counteractants, providing a reliable and efficient screening mechanism that overcomes the limitations of conventional methods while maintaining high identification effectiveness
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces conventional mechanical/chemical screening methods with a biological detection system using olfactory receptors. This substitution enables more sensitive and specific identification of malodour counteractants by leveraging biological recognition mechanisms rather than traditional analytical approaches
2Measurement precision
If human perception testing is used to evaluate malodour counteractants, then subjective assessment is obtained, but the process is time-consuming and lacks precision
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses olfactory receptors as biological copies of human olfactory detection systems. These receptors replicate the human nose's ability to detect odorants in a controlled in vitro setting, providing precise measurements of binding affinity and counteractant effectiveness without the time constraints and subjectivity of human perception testing
Solution Approach 2:
The patent substitutes human sensory perception with a biochemical detection system using purified olfactory receptors. This replacement enables objective, quantifiable measurements of odorant-receptor interactions through binding assays, eliminating the subjectivity and time requirements of human testing while maintaining or improving detection accuracy
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 approach allows for the identification of compounds that can effectively reduce the perception of sulfur-related malodours, enabling their incorporation into various products such as deodorants, laundry detergents, and industrial cleaners.
Implementation Method 1
contacting the OR4E2 polypeptide with a sulfur odorant, in the presence and in the absence of the test compound under conditions permitting the binding of said sulfur odorant to OR4E2
Data Source
AI summary
The invention relates to a method for determining whether a test compound can counteract malodour from a sulphur odorant. The method includes contacting the test compound and the sulphur odorant with an olfactory receptor OR4E2, and comparing the binding of the OR4E2 to the sulphur odorant, or the activity of the OR4E2, in the presence and in the absence of the test compound.