Functional expression of chemoreceptors with the help of a Guanine nucleotide exchange factor

Odorant receptors and other chemoreceptors are usually poorly expressed in the plasma membrane of heterologous cells. A key point of regulation in G protein-mediated signaling is the interconversion between the active GTP-bound and inactive GDP-bound states of the Galpha subunit, which regulatory proteins, such as guanine nucleotide exchange factors (GEFs), can control. GEFs stimulate formation of the GTP-bound state of Galpha and therefore are considered to work as positive regulators of G protein-coupled receptor signaling. Ric-8B, a GEF that is specifically expressed in olfactory sensory neurons, promotes functional expression of odorant receptors in HEK293T cells because it amplifies the initially low receptor signaling through Galphaolf. This same strategy could be used to functionally express other types of chemoreceptors.