Novel splice variants of human epithelial sodium channel genes expressed in human taste tissue and uses thereof
AssigneeSenomyx, Inc.
InventorsBryan Moyer, Fernando Echeverri, Min Lu, Bianca Laita
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Abstract
Nucleic acid sequences encoding novel splice variants that encode subunits of an ENaC expressed in human taste tissue are provided. These splice variants when expressed in association with other ENaC subunits, i.e., α, β and γ subunits or α, β and Δ subunits may be used to produce amiloride-insensitive ENACs. The resultant amiloride-insensitive ENaCs are useful in in vitro assays for identifying ENaC modulators that modulate taste (enhance or inhibit), particularly human salty taste.
Claims33
A purified and isolated nucleic acid sequence that encodes an ENaC α splice variant expressed in human taste tissue.
A purified and isolated nucleic acid sequence that encodes an ENaC β splice variant that is expressed in human taste tissue.
A purified and isolated nucleic acid sequence that encodes an ENaC γ subunit that is expressed in human taste tissue.
The purified and isolated nucleic acid sequence according to claim 9 that is contained in SEQ ID NO:19.
A purified and isolated human ENaC subunit splice variant polypeptide that is comprised in an ENaC expressed in endogenous human taste tissue that is insensitive to amiloride.
A method of identifying a compound that modulates salty taste in humans comprising:
- (i) contacting a cell that expresses an amiloride-insensitive ENaC containing at least one ENaC splice variant polypeptide expressed in human taste and tissue with at least one a putative taste modulatory compound;
- (ii) determining whether said compound has a modulatory effect on ENaC function;
- and
- (iii) identifying said compound as a putative modulatory of human salty taste if appreciably modulates said ENaC function.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.