View source for 9wpg


==Cryo-EM structure of the insect sex pheromone receptor ApisOR22-Orco heterocomplex bound with nepetalactone in the open state==
<StructureSection load='9wpg' size='340' side='right'caption='[[9wpg]], [[Resolution|resolution]] 3.30&Aring;' scene=''>
== Structural highlights ==
<table><tr><td colspan='2'>[[9wpg]] is a 4 chain structure with sequence from [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Acyrthosiphon_pisum Acyrthosiphon pisum]. Full crystallographic information is available from [http://oca.weizmann.ac.il/oca-bin/ocashort?id=9WPG OCA]. For a <b>guided tour on the structure components</b> use [https://proteopedia.org/fgij/fg.htm?mol=9WPG FirstGlance]. <br>
</td></tr><tr id='method'><td class="sblockLbl"><b>[[Empirical_models|Method:]]</b></td><td class="sblockDat" id="methodDat">Electron Microscopy, [[Resolution|Resolution]] 3.3&#8491;</td></tr>
<tr id='ligand'><td class="sblockLbl"><b>[[Ligand|Ligands:]]</b></td><td class="sblockDat" id="ligandDat"><scene name='pdbligand=A1EX6:(4~{a}~{S},7~{S},7~{a}~{R})-4,7-dimethyl-5,6,7,7~{a}-tetrahydro-4~{a}~{H}-cyclopenta[c]pyran-1-one'>A1EX6</scene>, <scene name='pdbligand=PC1:1,2-DIACYL-SN-GLYCERO-3-PHOSPHOCHOLINE'>PC1</scene></td></tr>
<tr id='resources'><td class="sblockLbl"><b>Resources:</b></td><td class="sblockDat"><span class='plainlinks'>[https://proteopedia.org/fgij/fg.htm?mol=9wpg FirstGlance], [http://oca.weizmann.ac.il/oca-bin/ocaids?id=9wpg OCA], [https://pdbe.org/9wpg PDBe], [https://www.rcsb.org/pdb/explore.do?structureId=9wpg RCSB], [https://www.ebi.ac.uk/pdbsum/9wpg PDBsum], [https://prosat.h-its.org/prosat/prosatexe?pdbcode=9wpg ProSAT]</span></td></tr>
</table>
== Function ==
[https://www.uniprot.org/uniprot/A0A8R2JM50_ACYPI A0A8R2JM50_ACYPI] 
<div style="background-color:#fffaf0;">
== Publication Abstract from PubMed ==
Sex pheromones play a central role in regulating animal behavior and reproduction. In insects, these signals are perceived through specialized odorant receptors (ORs) that mediate species-specific communication and safeguard genetic integrity. However, the structural basis of sex pheromone detection remains largely unresolved. Here, we identified two ORs in the pea aphid Acyrthosiphon pisum, along with the conserved OR co-receptor (Orco), which together mediate recognition of the pheromone components nepetalactone and nepetalactol. Functional assays demonstrated that ApOR21-Orco and ApOR22-Orco specifically respond to nepetalactol and nepetalactone, respectively. Using cryo-electron microscopy, we resolved the structure of the ApOR22-Orco complex in three states - unbound closed, nepetalactone-bound closed, and nepetalactone-bound open - revealing a heterotetrameric ion channel formed by one ApOR22 and three ApOrco subunits. Ligand binding to ApOR22 triggers conformational rearrangements that induce asymmetric pore dilation, thereby enabling ion conduction. Together, these results provide a mechanistic framework for understanding sex pheromone perception in insects and establish a structural foundation for the rational development of environmentally sustainable pest-control strategies.

Structural basis of sex pheromone detection in aphids.,Dong Z, Wang Y, Tian Y, Guan Z, Bai M, Zhang B, Jia Z, Wu J, Cao S, Gong Z, Zhao X, Ma W, Wang B, Wang G, Yin P Cell Res. 2026 Aug;36(8):582-594. doi: 10.1038/s41422-026-01267-z. Epub 2026 Jun , 22. PMID:42332065<ref>PMID:42332065</ref>

From MEDLINE&reg;/PubMed&reg;, a database of the U.S. National Library of Medicine.<br>
</div>
<div class="pdbe-citations 9wpg" style="background-color:#fffaf0;"></div>
== References ==
<references/>
__TOC__
</StructureSection>
[[Category: Acyrthosiphon pisum]]
[[Category: Large Structures]]
[[Category: Dong Z]]
[[Category: Guan ZY]]
[[Category: Wang GR]]
[[Category: Yin P]]