Chemical communication in a post-genomic world

With genome sequences accumulating at a rapid pace, one major goal of biology is to understand the function of genes. Many gene functions are comprehensible only within the context of chemical communication, and emerging research on genomics and chemical communication has catalyzed development of this highly productive interface. Many of the most abundantly represented genes in the genomes characterized to date encode proteins mediating interactions among organisms, including odorant receptors and binding proteins, enzymes involved in biosynthesis of pheromones and toxins, and enzymes catalyzing the detoxification of defense compounds. Chemosensory signaling shares several features irrespective of taxon; components of the vast majority of chemosensory signaling systems include a receptor that interacts with a signal molecule, a …