Insects' different strategy to smell odors could challenge theory of evolution

Washington, April 14: The discovery that insects have adopted a strategy to detect odors that is radically different from those of other organisms, may challenge an important theory of evolution.

The gate, a doughnut-shaped protein called an ion channel, provides a safe pathway for ions to flow into a cell. When molecules bind to the odor-sensitive ion channel, the protein changes its shape much like a gate or door changes its conformation as it is opened and closed.

Opened, it allows millions of ions to surge into the cell. Closed, it prohibits the activity of the ions from sending a signal to the brain that an odor is present.