Odorant receptor Or117 detects camphor to induce floral seeking by the mosquito Aedes aegypti.

Odorant receptor Or117 in Aedes aegypti mosquitoes detects camphor to regulate floral seeking behavior, with knockout eliminating attraction in females.

• Why it matters: Understanding how mosquitoes switch resource-seeking behaviors is crucial for controlling disease transmission, as these behaviors influence host and nectar source interactions.
• What they did: Researchers identified camphor as Or117’s natural ligand through ectopic expression in Drosophila, and used CRISPR-Cas9 to knockout Or117, observing effects on floral attraction.
• The result: Knocking out Or117 or removing camphor abolished female attraction to floral odors, linking this receptor directly to resource-seeking behavior and suggesting receptor regulation enables behavioral flexibility.