Establishment of a receptor search technology for desired odor detection in insect odorant receptor-based sensors

2020 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 18K19203
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Challenging Research (Exploratory)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Review Section: Medium-sized Section 39:Agricultural and environmental biology and related fields
• Research Institution: The University of Tokyo
• Principal Investigator: Kanzaki Ryohei 東京大学, 先端科学技術研究センター, 教授 (40221907)
• Project Period (FY): 2018-06-29 – 2021-03-31
• Keywords: 嗅覚受容体 / 昆虫 / 匂いバイオセンサ / 培養細胞

Outline of Final Research Achievements

To develop an odor biosensor for detecting desired odor substances (target odorants), we attempted to establish a simple method to evaluate the response characteristics of insect odorant receptors, select receptors suitable for the detection of the target odorants, and produce the sensor cells. By introducing additional target odorant receptor genes into a homogeneous sensor cell, in which co-receptors and fluorescent proteins are functionally expressed, we established a novel technology that enables functional expression of the odorant receptors and analysis of their response characteristics more easily than conventional methods. By analyzing the response characteristics of several insect odorant receptors based on this technology, we finally succeeded in producing a sensor cell that can selectively and sensitively detect 2-methylphenol, one of the components of human sweat odorants.

Free Research Field

神経行動学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

昆虫の嗅覚受容体の機能発現には、複合体を形成する共受容体との共発現が必要であることから、さまざまな嗅覚受容体の応答特性を網羅的、かつ簡便に解析する技術の確立が一つの課題であった。本技術により、簡便に嗅覚受容体の機能解析が可能となり、昆虫が備える匂い受容機構の解明の技術基盤として生物学や農学分野への貢献が期待され、学術的に意義がある。また、本技術を活用して嗅覚受容体を選択しセンサ細胞を作出することで、ニーズにあわせて対象臭を検出できる匂いバイオセンサの開発が可能となることから、幅広い分野での産業シーズとなることが期待される。