Scientists at the University of Pennsylvania and co-researchers from other Universities have designed a nanotech device using carbon nanotubes and olfactory receptor proteins.
A. T. Charlie Johnson
Olfactory receptor proteins are the elements in the nose cells that senses odors. They belong to a type of proteins called G protein coupled receptors or GPCRs. Since they transmit signals via the cell membrane, the nanotech device can be utilized not just for sensing odors but also in pharmaceutical research. The partners of the research work are scientists at the University of Illinois, the University of Miami and Monell Chemical Senses Center and two private firms, Evolved Machines and Nanosense.
The research team used olfactory receptors obtained from mice. The scientists successfully developed an interface between a carbon nanotube transistor and a complicated protein, which enables the conversion of chemical signals produced by the receptors to electrical signals.
According to A. T. Charlie Johnson, a member of the research team, the formation of a synthetic nose using carbon nanotube devices for every GPCR present in a dog nose or human nose could realize the possibilities of novel medical applications. GPCRs are vital for disease pathology, he said.
Finding out the type of drugs that can effectively bind with GPCRs is vital, as pathogens frequently attack via these receptors. The attachment of a harmless chemical with the corresponding GPCR will increase the chance of blocking the disease. The research team also developed an advanced process to stabilize GPCRs for further studies. Johnson stated that GPCRs are transmitting signals between the exterior of the cell and the interior and the team is now integrating the capabilities of GPCRs into nanotech devices.