Identification of a specific olfactory receptor for 2-isobutyl-3-methoxypyrazine.

2-Isobutyl-3-methoxypyrazine, a potent bell-pepper odorant, binds to cow olfactory mucosa homogenate. The receptor is saturable in the micromolar range and is competitively inhibited by other bell-pepper odourants, but not by other pyrazines of different odours. Other tissues do not bind 2-isobutyl-3-methoxypyrazine at a significant extent. We suggest that this receptor is involved in odour discrimination.