Toward understanding olfactory receptors and promoting the utilization of flavor and fragrance
Odor evokes emotions such as pleasure and discomfort, as well as psychological effects such as relaxation, but the starting point for odor recognition is the binding of odor molecules to their sensor proteins, called“olfactory receptors”. Humans have approximately 400 types of olfactory receptors, and multiple receptors respond to different odor molecules with different response patterns. These signals are transmitted to the brain, leading to perception. However, little is known about the relationship between olfactory receptor response patterns and perception. In addition, it is known that some olfactory receptors are affected by individual differences in gene sequences, but there is limited knowledge about how this affects perception. Taking these points into consideration, we are conducting research to understand the mechanism of odor perception from the perspective of olfactory receptors. Specifically, we are investigating the relationship between receptor response patterns in assays designed to distinguish genetic differences between individuals and odor perception, with the aim of identifying receptors that are key to specific odor perceptions and receptors that cause differences in perception between individuals. Through these studies, we hope to contribute to the promotion of flavor and fragrance utilization, a field that has gained attention in recent years.
Educational content
Treasure the data right in front of you
In addition to teaching basic experiments on low-molecular-weight organic compounds in the undergraduate practical course “Applied Biochemistry”, I also lecture on membrane receptors and their signals in the graduate course “Cell Regulation Biochemistry”, which is held every other year. In addition, in our laboratory, I am responsible for part of the supervision of research on chemosensory receptors, including olfactory receptors, and provide hands-on guidance on experimental techniques. In this convenient age where we can instantly access a wide range of information, efficiency is valued, and research is often expected to be clear and easy to understand. However, in reality, there are many things we do not understand. That is what makes it interesting, but you may be a little confused at first. I want students to take their time, learn accurate experimental techniques, and engage in research while thinking for themselves. Without being overly influenced by existing information, value the data you have obtained with your own hands, carefully read its message, and you may discover something unexpected. We provide support in the hope that you will experience the joy of making such discoveries.
Prospects for joint research and industry-academia collaboration
Towards the utilization of flavor and fragrance based on olfactory receptor information
We often hear from companies that they are interested in utilizing fragrance but find it difficult to get started. The lack of objective evaluation criteria for odor perception and individual differences in how odors are perceived are thought to be the main obstacles. We are constructing an assay system that can obtain odor response patterns for human olfactory receptor sets, including individual differences, and investigating the relationship between response patterns and odor perception. As a result, it became clear that, at least for some odors, there is a correlation between response patterns and odor perception. Furthermore, by using the constructed assay system, we were able to predict whether the target odor would be affected by individual differences in olfactory receptor genes. We plan to continue our research to clarify the applicability of predicting odor perception using response receptor information and improve the operability of the system.
