Protein of the Day #12: V1rf3

V1rf3 vomeronasal 1 receptor, F3, as its called in mice, appears well-conserved in a variety of mammals, as shown below (sometimes under slightly different names). The vomeronasal system is distinct from the usual olfactory system for smelling, and can be sensitive to very different compounds. In mice the vomeronasal system is important for pheromones. It remains unclear whether humans have any sort of functional vomeronasal at all; my guess is that most of us do not, but perhaps a few people still do.