In insects, odor cues are discriminated through a divergent family of odorant 
receptors (ORs). A functional OR complex consists of both a conventional 
odorant-binding OR and a nonconventional coreceptor (Orco) that is highly 
conserved across insect taxa. Recent reports have characterized insect ORs as 
ion channels, but the precise mechanism of signaling remains unclear. We report 
the identification and characterization of an Orco family agonist, VUAA1, using 
the Anopheles gambiae coreceptor (AgOrco) and other orthologues. These studies 
reveal that the Orco family can form functional ion channels in the absence of 
an odor-binding OR, and in addition, demonstrate a first-in-class agonist to 
further research in insect OR signaling. In light of the extraordinary 
conservation and widespread expression of the Orco family, VUAA1 represents a 
powerful new family of compounds that can be used to disrupt the destructive 
behaviors of nuisance insects, agricultural pests, and disease vectors alike.