title: Olfactory receptor localization and function: an emerging role for GPCR heterodimerization.
abstract: Research on olfaction has been fraught with considerable frustration because none of the hundreds of olfactory receptors make it to the cell surface on their own when expressed in heterologous systems. Recent work indicates that the heterodimerization of olfactory receptors with beta2-adrenergic receptors results in surface expression of these G protein-coupled receptors. Similar conclusions--that heterodimerization is essential for surface expression of olfactory receptors--have been drawn from research in Drosophila utilizing completely different knockout and functional approaches. Together these findings may unlock the solution to a problem that has plagued the molecular study of olfaction since the cloning of the first olfactory G protein-coupled receptor over twelve years ago.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacology, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA 30322, USA.
authors.forename: Chris
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Hague
authors.forename: Randy A
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: Hall
authors.forename: Kenneth P
authors.initials: KP
authors.lastname: Minneman
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D019281:Dimerization; D006801:Humans; D043562:Receptors, G-Protein-Coupled / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000502:physiology; D018035:Receptors, Odorant / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000502:physiology
chemical_list: D043562:Receptors, G-Protein-Coupled; D018035:Receptors, Odorant