The multi-faceted food odorant 4-methylphenol selectively activates evolutionary conserved receptor OR9Q2.

Abstract

4-Methylphenol is a food-related odor-active volatile with a high recognition factor, due to its horse stable-like, fecal odor quality. Its ambivalent hedonic impact as key aroma compound, malodor, and semiochemical has spurred the search for its cognate, chemosensory odorant receptors across species. A human odorant receptor for the highly characteristic 4-methylphenol has been elusive. Here, we identified and characterized human receptor OR9Q2 to be tuned to purified 4-methylphenol, but not to its contaminant isomer 3-methylphenol. This highly selective function of OR9Q2 complements an exclusive phenol detection gap in the ancient, most broadly tuned human odorant receptor OR2W1. Moreover, a 4-methylphenol function is evolutionary conserved in phylogenetically related OR9Q2 orthologs from chimpanzee, mouse, and cow. Notably, the cow receptor outperformed human OR9Q2 10-fold in signal strength, consonant with previous reports of 4-methylphenol as a bovine pheromone. Our results suggest OR9Q2 as best sensor for the key food odorant, malodor, and semiochemical 4-methylphenol.