The molecular receptive range of a lactone receptor in Anopheles gambiae

In an environment filled with a complex spectrum of chemical stimuli, insects rely on the specificity of odorant receptors (ORs) to discern odorants of ecological importance. In nature, cyclic esters, or lactones, represent a common class of semiochemicals that exhibit a range of diversity through ring size and substituents, as well as stereochemistry. We have used heterologous expression to explore the lactone sensitivity of AgOr48, an odorant-sensitive OR from the principal malaria vector mosquito, Anopheles gambiae. Voltage clamp and calcium-imaging experiments revealed that AgOr48 is particularly sensitive to changes in the size of the lactone ring and in the length of the carbon chain substituent. In addition, the two enantiomers of a strong agonist, δ-decalactone, elicited significantly different potency values, implicating AgOr48 as an enantioselective odorant receptor. Investigation of the molecular receptive range of this lactone receptor may contribute to a greater understanding of ligand-OR interactions and provide insight into the chemical ecology of An. gambiae.