High impact aroma chemicals

Rowe, D. J.

doi:10.1039/9781847550071-00202

Cited by 19 publications

(41 citation statements)

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“…Discrimination between small molecules, often in very low concentrations, allows us to make judgments about our immediate environment[1] and influence our perceptions. Even though odorants are key components of many commercial products [2], the biomolecular processes of olfaction are inadequately understood: scent design is not straightforward. We know that odor detection involves several types of receptor for a given odorant, and understand how a receptor signal is amplified and processed [3,4].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…All current theories agree that selective docking of odorants is important [2]. However, odorants are small molecules (rarely more than a few tens of atoms[2]), and it is improbable that docking criteria alone offer sufficient discrimination.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…1). Turin's theory requires a source of electrons or holes to allow charge flow to take place.The precise biological origin is not known, but may well consist of reducing (oxidizing) species (X) in the cell fluid [2]. These molecules diffuse through the aqueous medium and arrive with an average interval of τ X .…”

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confidence: 99%

“…This mechanism has wider importance because it introduces a distinct paradigm for selective actuation of receptors: whereas lock and key models[6] imply size, shape and non-bonding interactions (the docking criteria) are all, in our swipe card model recognition and actuation involve other processes in addition to docking. Thus it encompasses and goes beyond mechanisms such as proton transfer, discussed by us previously [7].All current theories agree that selective docking of odorants is important [2]. However, odorants are small molecules (rarely more than a few tens of atoms[2]), and it is improbable that docking criteria alone offer sufficient discrimination.…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

“…However, odorants are small molecules (rarely more than a few tens of atoms [2]), and it is improbable that docking criteria alone offer sufficient discrimination. For example, molecules with almost identical shapes can smell very different: replacing carbon with its isosteres Si, Ge and Sn invariably markedly alter odor character [8].…”

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confidence: 99%

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Could Humans Recognize Odor by Phonon Assisted Tunneling?

Brookes¹,

Hartoutsiou²,

Horsfield³

et al. 2007

Phys. Rev. Lett.

160

217

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Our sense of smell relies on sensitive, selective atomic-scale processes that are initiated when a scent molecule meets specific receptors in the nose. However, the physical mechanisms of detection are not clear. While odorant shape and size are important, experiment indicates these are insufficient. One novel proposal suggests inelastic electron tunneling from a donor to an acceptor mediated by the odorant actuates a receptor, and provides critical discrimination. We test the physical viability of this mechanism using a simple but general model. Using values of key parameters in line with those for other biomolecular systems, we find the proposed mechanism is consistent both with the underlying physics and with observed features of smell, provided the receptor has certain general properties. This mechanism suggests a distinct paradigm for selective molecular interactions at receptors (the swipe card model): recognition and actuation involve size and shape, but also exploit other processes. * Electronic address: j.brookes@ucl.ac.uk † Electronic address: to˙milaraki@hotmail.com ‡ Electronic address: a.horsfield@ucl.ac.uk § Electronic address: a.stoneham@ucl.ac.uk 1 Our sense of smell affects our behavior profoundly. Discrimination between small molecules, often in very low concentrations, allows us to make judgments about our immediate environment[1] and influence our perceptions. Even though odorants are key components of many commercial products [2], the biomolecular processes of olfaction are inadequately understood: scent design is not straightforward. We know that odor detection involves several types of receptor for a given odorant, and understand how a receptor signal is amplified and processed [3,4]. However, the initial selective atomic-scale processes as the scent molecule meets its nasal receptors are not well understood. Odorant shape and size are certainly important, but experiment shows these are insufficient. Here we assess the novel proposal that a critical early step involves inelastic electron tunneling mediated by the odorant. We test the physical viability of this mechanism[5] using electron transfer (ET) theory, with values of key parameters in line with those for other biomolecular systems. The proposed mechanism is viable (there are no physics-based objections and is consistent with known features of olfaction) provided the receptor has certain general properties. This mechanism has wider importance because it introduces a distinct paradigm for selective actuation of receptors: whereas lock and key models[6] imply size, shape and non-bonding interactions (the docking criteria) are all, in our swipe card model recognition and actuation involve other processes in addition to docking. Thus it encompasses and goes beyond mechanisms such as proton transfer, discussed by us previously [7].All current theories agree that selective docking of odorants is important [2]. However, odorants are small molecules (rarely more than a few tens of atoms[2]), and it is improbable that docking criteria...

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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confidence: 99%

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confidence: 99%

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confidence: 99%

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