OR6A2

Function

Olfactory receptors interact with odorant molecules in the nose, to initiate a neuronal response that triggers the perception of a smell. The olfactory receptor proteins are members of a large family of G-protein-coupled receptors (GPCR) arising from single coding-exon genes. Olfactory receptors share a 7-transmembrane domain structure with many neurotransmitters and hormone receptors and are responsible for the recognition and G protein-mediated transduction of odorant signals. The olfactory receptor gene family is the largest in the genome. The nomenclature assigned to the olfactory receptor genes and proteins for this organism is independent of other organisms.[5]

Clinical significance

Variation in the OR6A2 gene has been identified as a likely cause of why some people enjoy the smell and taste of coriander (also known as cilantro)[6] while others have exactly the opposite reaction to the point of repulsion. Depending on ancestry, somewhere between 3% and 21% of the population associate it with unpleasant taste, including a combination of soap and vomit, or say that it is similar to the foul smelling odor emitted by stinkbugs. This is due to the presence of aldehyde chemicals, which are present in soap, various detergents, coriander, several species of stinkbugs and cinnamon.[7]

See also

References
  1. GRCh38: Ensembl release 89: ENSG00000184933 - Ensembl, May 2017
  2. GRCm38: Ensembl release 89: ENSMUSG00000070417 - Ensembl, May 2017
  3. "Human PubMed Reference:". National Center for Biotechnology Information, U.S. National Library of Medicine.
  4. "Mouse PubMed Reference:". National Center for Biotechnology Information, U.S. National Library of Medicine.
  5. "Entrez Gene: OR6A2 olfactory receptor, family 6, subfamily A, member 2".
  6. Eriksson N; Wu S; Chuong BD; et al. (29 November 2012). "A genetic variant near olfactory receptor genes influences cilantro preference". Flavour. 1. arXiv:1209.2096. doi:10.1186/2044-7248-1-22. S2CID 199627.
  7. Callaway E (September 2012). "Soapy taste of coriander linked to genetic variants". Nature. doi:10.1038/nature.2012.11398. S2CID 87980895.

Further reading

This article incorporates text from the United States National Library of Medicine, which is in the public domain.


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