Identification of bitter ligands that specifically activate human T2R receptors and related assays for identifying human bitter taste modulators
AssigneeSenomyx, Inc.
InventorsXiaodong Li, Hong Xu, Qing Li, Hubdan Tang, Alexey Pronin
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Abstract
The present invention relates to the discovery that specific human taste receptors in the T2R taste receptor family respond to particular bitter compounds. The invention further relates to the use of these receptors in assays for identifying ligands that modulate the activation of these taste receptors by these bitter ligands and related compounds and which may be used as additives and/or removed from foods, beverages, cosmetics and medicinals in order to modify (block) T2R-associated bitter taste.
Claims21
An assay method for identifying a compound which affects bitter taste by modulating the activity of a human T2R bitter taste receptor comprising a polypeptide having a sequence at least 90% identical to the polypeptide in SEQ ID NO:12, wherein said bitter taste receptor specifically responds to at least one bitter ligand selected from nitrosaccharin, and saccharin which comprises:
- i. screening a compound for its effect if any on the activation of said human T2R bitter taste receptor comprising a polypeptide at least 90% identical to the polypeptide in SEQ ID NO:12 by at least one bitter ligand selected from nitrosaccharin, and saccharin, and
- ii. determining whether said compound modulates bitter taste based on its effect on the activation of said human T2R bitter taste receptor by at least one of said bitter compounds;
- and
- iii. identifying said compound as a potential bitter taste modulator if it modulates the activation of said human T2R bitter taste receptor by at least one of said bitter compounds.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.