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AssigneeSenomyx, Inc.
InventorsXiaodong Li, Hong Xu, Qing Li, Huixian Tang
Estimating the term…
The present invention relates to the discovery that specific human taste receptors in the T2R taste receptor family respond to particular bitter compounds, i.e., chlorogenic lactone compounds that contribute at least partially to the bitter taste of many coffee beverages. The present invention further relates to the use of these receptors in assays for identifying ligands that modulate the activation of these taste receptors by chlorogenic lactones and related compounds and which may be used as additives and/or removed from foods, beverages and medicinals in order to modify (block) T2R-associated bitter taste. A preferred embodiment is the use of the identified compounds as additives in coffee and coffee-flavored foods, beverages and medicinals.
1-128. (canceled)
An in vitro assay for identifying whether a test compound reduces the bitter taste of a coffee extract, coffee flavored food or a coffee flavored additive for incorporation in a consumable comprising determining in an in vitro assay whether said which compound when incorporated in said coffee extract, coffee flavored food or a coffee flavored additive reduces the activation of a receptor selected from hT2R8, hT2R14 and hT2R54 in comparison to the activation of said receptor in the absence of said compound wherein said human hT2R8 bitter taste receptor comprises a polypeptide which is at least 95% identical to the polypeptide in SEQ ID NO:3, said human hT2R14 bitter taste receptor comprises a polypeptide which is at least 95% identical to the polypeptide in SEQ ID NO:5 and said human hT2R54 bitter taste receptor comprises a polypeptide which is at least 95% identical to the polypeptide in SEQ ID NO:7 and based on the level of activation determining whether the compound is suitable for incorporation in said coffee extract, coffee flavored food or a coffee flavored additive.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.