Mosquito Olfactory Receptor Discovery Leads to Potential New Repellents

University of Washington and Baylor University researchers identify key receptor that triggers mosquito avoidance response to plant-based compound.

Mar. 16, 2026 at 4:33pm

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Researchers have discovered that the Aedes aegypti mosquito, a primary carrier of dengue and yellow fever, possesses a specific odor receptor called OR49 that is highly sensitive to borneol, a naturally occurring compound found in plants like camphor trees and rosemary. When mosquitoes detect borneol through OR49, it triggers an avoidance response, signaling danger and causing them to fly away. This finding opens the door to developing more effective, plant-based mosquito repellents that target this specific olfactory receptor.

Why it matters

Mosquito-borne diseases remain a major global health threat, causing over 600,000 deaths annually. As mosquitoes develop resistance to traditional insecticides, scientists are seeking new ways to disrupt how these insects locate and target human hosts. Exploiting mosquitoes' sense of smell, particularly by targeting specific olfactory receptors like OR49, represents a promising avenue for creating more effective and potentially safer repellents.

The details

The study, published in Nature Communications, found that disabling the Or49 gene in Aedes aegypti mosquitoes effectively eliminated their avoidance response to borneol. This discovery identifies a specific target for developing new mosquito repellents. Researchers are now exploring other volatile compounds that might activate the same receptor, potentially leading to repellents that are longer-lasting, more potent, and more appealing to humans than existing formulations.

  • The study was published on March 16, 2026.

The players

Jeffrey Riffell

A professor of biology at the University of Washington and co-author of the study.

Jason Pitts

An associate professor of biology at Baylor University and co-author of the study.

Aedes aegypti

A mosquito species that is a primary carrier of dengue and yellow fever.

OR49

A specific odor receptor in Aedes aegypti mosquitoes that is highly sensitive to the compound borneol.

Borneol

A naturally occurring compound found in plants like camphor trees, rosemary, and other aromatic herbs.

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What they’re saying

“We were surprised by how sensitive the mosquitoes were to this repellent.”

— Jeffrey Riffell, Professor of Biology, University of Washington (Nature Communications)

“These new compounds could be easier and cheaper to produce, or safer and more acceptable to the human nose than existing repellent formulations.”

— Jason Pitts, Associate Professor of Biology, Baylor University (Nature Communications)

What’s next

Researchers plan to continue exploring other volatile compounds that may activate the OR49 receptor in Aedes aegypti mosquitoes, with the goal of developing more effective and potentially safer plant-based mosquito repellents.

The takeaway

This research represents a shift from broad-spectrum insecticides to more targeted, bio-inspired mosquito control solutions. By understanding the specific olfactory receptors that trigger avoidance responses in mosquitoes, scientists can develop new repellents that are more effective at deterring these disease-carrying insects from seeking human hosts.