AUTHOR=Wang Jingtao , Zhang Qidong , Fan Wu , Shi Qingzhao , Mao Jian , Xie Jianping , Chai Guobi , Zhang Chenglei 

TITLE=Deciphering olfactory receptor binding mechanisms: a structural and dynamic perspective on olfactory receptors

JOURNAL=Frontiers in Molecular Biosciences

VOLUME=Volume 11 - 2024

YEAR=2025

URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/molecular-biosciences/articles/10.3389/fmolb.2024.1498796

DOI=10.3389/fmolb.2024.1498796

ISSN=2296-889X

ABSTRACT=Olfactory receptors, classified as G-protein coupled receptors (GPCRs), have been a subject of scientific inquiry since the early 1950s. Historically, investigations into the sensory mechanisms of olfactory receptors were often confined to behavioral characteristics in model organisms or the expression of related proteins and genes. However, with the development of cryo-electron microscopy techniques, it has gradually become possible to decipher the specific structures of olfactory receptors in insects and humans. This has provided new insights into the binding mechanisms between odor molecules and olfactory receptors. Furthermore, due to the rapid advancements in related fields such as computer simulations, the prediction and exploration of odor molecule binding to olfactory receptors have been progressively achieved through molecular dynamics simulations. Through this comprehensive review, we aim to provide a thorough analysis of research related to the binding mechanisms between odor molecules and olfactory receptors from the perspectives of structural biology and molecular dynamics simulations. Finally, we will provide an outlook on the future of research in the field of olfactory receptor sensory mechanisms.