Les péri-récepteurs chimiosensoriels des insectes / Chemosensory perireceptors of insects

Small globular proteins, highly abundant in the antennal sensillar lymph and in the mammalian nasal mucus, and capable of binding odorant molecules have been discovered. They have led to the concept that odorant-binding proteins (OBPs) and chemosensory proteins (CSPs) may optimize the reception of hydrophobic stimuli molecules by enhancing their solubilization in the aqueous environment that bath the sensory neurons. The acquisition of OBP may represent one of the molecular adaptations to terrestrial life, a phenomenon that may have occured independently in insects and mammals with respect to the great dissimilarity observed in their OBPs. Studying 01313 with regard to the functional properties, the individual and interspecific variations and the regulatory mechanisms of synthesis offer new potentials, not only in the development of novel methods to control insect pests but also to the understanding of the molecular basis of olfaction and specific anosmia.