Olfactory receptors interact with odorant molecules in the nose, to initiate a neuronal response that triggers the perception of a smell. The olfactory receptor proteins are members of a large family of G-protein-coupled receptors (GPCR) arising from single coding-exon genes. Olfactory receptors share a 7-transmembrane domain structure with many neurotransmitters and hormone receptors and are responsible for the recognition and G protein-mediated transduction of odorant signals.[5]
Variation in the OR6A2 gene has been identified as a likely cause of why some people enjoy the smell and taste of coriander (also known as cilantro)[6] while others have exactly the opposite reaction to the point of repulsion. Depending on ancestry, somewhere between 3% and 21% of the population associate it with unpleasant taste, including a combination of soap and vomit, or say that it is similar to the foul smelling odor emitted by stinkbugs. This is due to the presence of aldehyde chemicals,[7] which are present in soap, various detergents, coriander, and several species of stinkbugs.[citation needed]
Buettner JA, Glusman G, Ben-Arie N, et al. (1998). "Organization and evolution of olfactory receptor genes on human chromosome 11". Genomics. 53 (1): 56–68. doi:10.1006/geno.1998.5422. PMID9787077.
