iOBPdb – A Database for Experimentally Determined Functional Characterization of Odorant Binding Proteins

Abstract

Odorant binding proteins (OBPs) are extra-cellular proteins which solubilize and transport volatile organic compounds (VOCs). Thousands of OBPs have been identified through genome sequencing and hundreds have been characterized by fluorescence ligand binding assays in individual studies. There is a limited understanding of the comparative structure-function relations of OBPs, primarily due to a lack of a centralized database that relates OBP binding affinity and structure. Combining 215 functional studies containing 381 unique OBPs from 91 insect species we present a database, iOBPdb: https://iobpdb.herokuapp.com, of OBP binding affinities for 620 unique VOC targets. This initial database provides powerful search and associative capabilities for retrieving and analyzing OBP-VOC binding interaction data. We present our results in a variety of phylogenetic representations as well as providing the binding profiles of OBP groups to VOC functional moieties. Potential applications include development of molecular probes for biosensors, novel bioassays and drugs, targeted pesticides which inhibit VOC / OBP interactions, and understanding odor sensing and perception in the brain.