Human olfactory perception differs enormously between individuals, with large reported
perceptual variations in the intensity and pleasantness of a given odour. For instance, …

Altered olfactory function is a common symptom of COVID-19, but its etiology is unknown. A
key question is whether SARS-CoV-2 (CoV-2) – the causal agent in COVID-19 – affects …

Deciphering olfactory encoding requires a thorough description of the ligands that activate
each odorant receptor (OR). In mammalian systems, however, ligands are known for fewer …

The vomeronasal organ of mammals is an olfactory sensory structure that detects pheromones.
It contains two subsets of sensory neurons that differentially express Gα o and Gα i2 . By …

The mechanisms underlying sweet taste in mammals have been elusive. Although numerous
studies have implicated G proteins in sweet taste detection, the expected G protein-…

A fundamental question in olfaction is which odorant receptors (ORs) are activated by a
given odorant. A major roadblock to investigating odorant–OR relationships in mammals has …

The gustatory system of mammals can sense four basic taste qualities, bitter, sweet, salty
and sour, as well as umami, the taste of glutamate 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 , 5 , 6 . Previous studies …

Animals use their gustatory systems to evaluate the nutritious value, toxicity, sodium content,
and acidity of food. Although characterization of molecular identities that receive taste …

Humans have ∼400 intact odorant receptors, but each individual has a unique set of genetic
variations that lead to variation in olfactory perception. We used a heterologous assay to …

To investigate the functions of N-cadherinin vivo,we have mutated the gene encoding this
adhesion protein in mice. Although N-cadherin is expressed at the time of gastrulation and …