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Related Concept Videos

Olfaction01:25

Olfaction

The sense of smell is achieved through the activities of the olfactory system. It starts when an airborne odorant enters the nasal cavity and reaches olfactory epithelium (OE). The OE is protected by a thin layer of mucus, which also serves the purpose of dissolving more complex compounds into simpler chemical odorants. The size of the OE and the density of sensory neurons varies among species; in humans, the OE is only about 9-10 cm2.
The olfactory receptors are embedded in the cilia of the...
Physiology of Smell and Olfactory Pathway01:20

Physiology of Smell and Olfactory Pathway

Humans detect odors with the help of specialized cells located in the upper part of the nasal cavity, called olfactory receptor neurons (ORNs). ORNs possess hair-like structures called cilia, which are receptive to sensations from the inhaled air. When an odorant molecule binds to a specific receptor on the cell of the cilia, it leads to a series of events that ultimately cause the ORN to send electrical signals to the olfactory bulb in the brain through the olfactory nerves.
The olfactory...
Olfactory Receptors: Location and Structure01:03

Olfactory Receptors: Location and Structure

The process of olfaction, also known as the sense of smell, is a sophisticated chemical response system. The specialized sensory neurons that facilitate this process, known as olfactory receptor neurons, are situated in an upper segment of the nasal cavity, known as the olfactory epithelium. Olfactory sensory neurons are bipolar, with their dendrites extending from the epithelium's apex into the mucus that lines the nasal cavity. Airborne molecules, when inhaled, traverse the olfactory...
Bacterial Signaling01:30

Bacterial Signaling

Bacterial signaling can occur within bacteria (intracellular) or between bacteria (intercellular). At times, a group of bacteria behaves like a community. To achieve this, they engage in quorum sensing, the perception of higher cell density that causes changes in gene expression. Quorum sensing involves both extracellular and intracellular signaling. The signaling cascade starts with a molecule called an autoinducer (AI). Individual bacteria produce AIs that move out of the bacterial cell...
Tactile and Chemical Senses01:27

Tactile and Chemical Senses

Tactile senses encompass touch, temperature, and pain, each mediated by specific receptors. Touch receptors detect mechanical energy or pressure against the skin. Sensory fibers from these receptors enter the spinal cord and relay information to the brain stem. Here, most fibers cross over to the opposite side of the brain. The touch information then moves to the thalamus, which projects a map of the body's surface onto the somatosensory areas of the parietal lobes in the cerebral cortex. This...
G-Protein Gated Ion Channels01:21

G-Protein Gated Ion Channels

GPCRs are primarily responsible for our sense of smell, taste, and vision.  The binding of a sensory stimulus activates GPCR to stimulate effector proteins, many of which are ion channels in the sensory organs. GPCRs modulate the opening and closing of the target ion channels either directly by binding them, or by releasing second messengers that activate these channels. As ions move across the membrane, the membrane potential is altered, which induces an appropriate response.
Sensory organs,...

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Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jun 10, 2026

Real-time In Vitro Monitoring of Odorant Receptor Activation by an Odorant in the Vapor Phase
09:53

Real-time In Vitro Monitoring of Odorant Receptor Activation by an Odorant in the Vapor Phase

Published on: April 23, 2019

Bacterial olfaction.

Reindert Nijland1, J Grant Burgess

  • 1Dove Marine Laboratory, School of Marine Science and Technology, Newcastle University, Cullercoats, UK.

Biotechnology Journal
|August 20, 2010
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

Bacteria, including Bacillus licheniformis, can smell airborne chemicals. This bacterial olfaction triggers coordinated responses like biofilm formation and pigment production, demonstrating environmental sensing through volatile molecules.

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High-throughput Analysis of Mammalian Olfactory Receptors: Measurement of Receptor Activation via Luciferase Activity
12:02

High-throughput Analysis of Mammalian Olfactory Receptors: Measurement of Receptor Activation via Luciferase Activity

Published on: June 2, 2014

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: Jun 10, 2026

Real-time In Vitro Monitoring of Odorant Receptor Activation by an Odorant in the Vapor Phase
09:53

Real-time In Vitro Monitoring of Odorant Receptor Activation by an Odorant in the Vapor Phase

Published on: April 23, 2019

Live-cell Measurement of Odorant Receptor Activation Using a Real-time cAMP Assay
09:11

Live-cell Measurement of Odorant Receptor Activation Using a Real-time cAMP Assay

Published on: October 2, 2017

High-throughput Analysis of Mammalian Olfactory Receptors: Measurement of Receptor Activation via Luciferase Activity
12:02

High-throughput Analysis of Mammalian Olfactory Receptors: Measurement of Receptor Activation via Luciferase Activity

Published on: June 2, 2014

Area of Science:

  • Microbiology
  • Chemical Ecology
  • Bacterial Behavior

Background:

  • All life forms sense their environment, with olfaction well-developed in higher eukaryotes.
  • Evidence suggests plants, slime molds, and yeast can also detect and respond to airborne volatile compounds.
  • The capacity for bacterial olfaction, or sensing airborne chemicals, remained largely unexplored.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate whether bacteria possess the ability to perform olfaction.
  • To identify the specific bacterial species capable of sensing airborne volatile metabolites.
  • To characterize the physiological responses of bacteria to airborne chemical cues.

Main Methods:

  • Utilizing microtiter plates to culture Bacillus licheniformis adjacent to other bacterial species.
  • Exposing B. licheniformis to volatile metabolites produced by neighboring bacterial cultures.
  • Observing and quantifying changes in biofilm formation and pigment production as indicators of response.
  • Identifying the specific volatile molecule responsible for eliciting the observed responses.

Main Results:

  • Bacillus licheniformis demonstrated the ability to sense airborne volatile metabolites from neighboring bacterial cultures.
  • Exposure to volatile molecules elicited coordinated responses, including increased biofilm formation and pigment production.
  • The intensity of the response diminished with increasing distance from the volatile source.
  • Ammonia was identified as the primary volatile molecule responsible for triggering these bacterial responses.
  • This study provides the first description of a behavioral response in bacteria mediated by odorant molecules received via the gas phase.

Conclusions:

  • Bacteria, exemplified by Bacillus licheniformis, possess the capability for olfaction, sensing and responding to airborne chemical signals.
  • Bacterial olfaction involves coordinated physiological responses, such as biofilm formation and pigment production, mediated by volatile metabolites like ammonia.
  • This research establishes a novel form of environmental sensing in bacteria, akin to olfaction, opening new avenues for understanding microbial communication and behavior.