G protein-coupled odorant receptors underlie mechanosensitivity in mammalian olfactory sensory neurons.

Mechanosensitive cells are essential for organisms to sense the external and internal environments, and a variety of molecules have been implicated as mechanical sensors. Here we report that odorant receptors (ORs), a large family of G protein-coupled receptors, underlie the responses to both chemical and mechanical stimuli in mouse olfactory sensory neurons (OSNs). Genetic ablation of key signaling proteins in odor transduction or disruption of OR-G protein coupling eliminates mechanical responses.