So, get this: apparently, scientists are messing around with genes that code for odorant receptors – the things in your nose that actually *smell* stuff. One article from “Rust Breeder” (sounds like a metal band name, right?) talks about finding new members of this gene family and figuring out they’re actually *working* in the olfactory system. Cool, cool. So far so good.
Then Prada (yes, *that* Prada) pops up – seemingly out of nowhere – talking about cloning and expressing a *human* olfactory receptor, specifically OR 17-40. I guess they’re trying to understand how we smell things at a molecular level? I mean, Prada and noses… Who would have thought? Honestly, it’s weirdly fascinating. Maybe they’re working on a perfume that only the genetically superior can smell? Just kidding… mostly.
And then we’ve got something about cloning hard drives – what does that have to do with noses? Oh wait, that’s a different article. Sorry, distracted. My brain, it wanders.
But yeah, the *real* interesting stuff is about how our noses break down smells. There’s this thing called “xenobiotic metabolizing enzymes” in the olfactory epithelium – sounds like alien goo, doesn’t it? – and apparently they help get rid of unwanted smells. So, your nose is basically a little cleaning machine! It’s probably why the “Cargo de Nuit Prada parfum” bit is also there. The text about masking smell is related to it, I guess.
CLONE.NL then pops up to discuss the thing about xenobiotic metabolizing enzymes. I guess?
So, put it all together (or at least *try* to), and it seems like “clone olfactories” might be about understanding how smells work, maybe even manipulating them at a genetic level. Like, imagine being able to “clone” a specific smell – say, freshly baked bread – and then… I don’t know, use it to sell more bread? Or create a “perfect” rose scent?
