Animals depend on their sense of smell to locate food, identify mates and evade danger. In mammals, olfactory perception typically relies on G protein–coupled receptor (GPCR) pathways. Insects, by contrast, use a distinct receptor system made up of odorant receptors (OrX) paired with a co-receptor known as Orco. For years, a key question has lingered: Do these insect receptors signal through GPCR-like routes or an entirely different mechanism?



Summary

Animals use smell for survival. Mammals rely on G protein-coupled receptor (GPCR) pathways for odor detection. Insects, however, use odorant receptors (OrX) paired with a co-receptor called Orco. A long-standing mystery surrounds insect olfaction: Do these OrX/Orco receptors signal similarly to mammalian GPCRs, or do they employ a completely unique mechanism? This difference in olfactory receptors and potentially, signaling mechanisms, has been a key area of investigation in understanding animal senses.

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