Human T2R receptors for acetaminophen ranitidine, strychnine and denatomium and related assays for identifying human bitter taste modulators

An assay for identifying a compound which modulates a bitter taste receptor that specifically responds to acetaminophen, wherein said taste receptor is a bitter taste receptor polypeptide that specifically binds and/or the activity of which is modulated by acetaminophen and wherein said bitter taste receptor polypeptide possesses at least 95% sequence identity to the hT2R54 polypeptide contained in SEQ ID NO:11 which assay comprises:

• i. screening a compound for its effect on acetaminophen or a structurally related compound to specifically bind and/or to induce the activation of said bitter taste receptor polypeptide wherein said taste receptor is a bitter taste receptor polypeptide that specifically binds and/or the activity of which is modulated by acetaminophen and wherein said bitter taste receptor polypeptide possesses at least 95% sequence identity to the hT2R54 polypeptide contained in SEQ ID NO:11;
• and
• ii. determining whether said compound specifically binds to and/or modulates the activity of said bitter taste receptor polypeptide based on its effect on the specific binding of and/or the activation of said bitter taste receptor polypeptide by acetaminophen or a structurally related compound.