Spotlight Seeing smell: the structural underpinnings of insect olfaction

In a landmark paper, del Marmol et al. describe cryo-electron microscopy (cryo-EM) structures of an insect olfactory receptor (OR) ion channel, detailing the mechanism by which odorants can directly gate ion flow and providing insights into how this incredibly diverse family of receptors have evolved to support insects navigat-ing complex olfactory landscapes.

Automated summary

In a landmark paper, del Marmol et al. describe cryo-electron microscopy structures of an insect olfactory receptor ion channel, revealing the mechanism of how odorants directly gate ion flow. This study provides insights into the evolution of a highly diverse family of receptors supporting insects in navigating complex olfactory landscapes.