Olfactory cyclic nucleotide-gated channel cell-based assays to identify T1R and T2R taste modulators

An assay for identifying whether a compound modulates the effect of another compound on T1R or T2R activity comprising:

• i. contacting a test cell that co-expresses (1) at least one functional T1R or T2R taste receptor, (2) a functional olfactory cyclic nucleotide gated channel (oCNGC), and (3) at least one Gαi/o protein that functionally couples to said T1R and T2R with a first compound known to activate said T1R or T2R;
• ii. further contacting an equivalent test cell with said first compound and a candidate compound to be screened for its modulator effect on T1R or T2R activation induced by said first compound;
• iii. evaluating the effect of said first compound on oCNGC activity;
• iv. further evaluating the combined effect of said first compound and candidate compound on oCNGC activity;
• and
• v. identifying the compounds that result in the oCNGC activity measured in (iv) to be significantly different than in (iii).