Methods of detecting umami tastant-sensitive cells which express heteromeric T1R1/T1R3 receptors

An in vitro method of detecting a cell that is potentially sensitive to umami tastants, the method comprising:

• (a) detecting the expression of a T1R1 polypeptide and/or a nucleic acid encoding said T1R1 polypeptide by said cell by contacting said cell with at least one probe that detects the expression of said T1R1 polypeptide and/or said nucleic acid encoding said T1R1 polypeptide by said cell, wherein said T1R1 polypeptide (i) is encoded by a nucleic acid sequence comprising SEQ ID NO:
• 8, or (ii) possesses at least 90% sequence identity to the T1R1 polypeptide of SEQ ID NO:
• 5;
• (b) transfecting said cell with a T1R3 polynucleotide that encodes a T1R3 polypeptide, wherein said T1R3 polynucleotide (i) comprises the nucleic acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:
• 9, or (ii) comprises a nucleic acid sequence that encodes a polypeptide that possesses at least 90% sequence identity to the T1R3 polypeptide of SEQ ID NO:
• 7;
• and
• (c) based on the results of (a), identifying a cell that is detected to express T1R1 as a cell that is potentially sensitive to umami tastants (“detected cell”).

An in vitro method of detecting a cell that is potentially sensitive to umami tastants, the method comprising:

• (a) transfecting said cell with a T1R1 polynucleotide that encodes a T1R1 polypeptide, wherein said T1R1 polynucleotide (i) comprises the nucleic acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:
• 8, or (ii) comprises a nucleic acid sequence that encodes a polypeptide that possesses at least 90% sequence identity to the T1R1 polypeptide of SEQ ID NO:
• 5;
• (b) detecting the expression of a T1R3 polypeptide and/or a nucleic acid encoding said T1R3 polypeptide by said cell by contacting said cell with at least one probe that detects the expression of said T1R3 polypeptide and/or said nucleic acid encoding said T1R3 polypeptide by said cell, wherein said T1R3 polypeptide (i) is encoded by a nucleic acid sequence comprising SEQ ID NO:
• 9, or (ii) possesses at least 90% sequence identity to the T1R3 polypeptide of SEQ ID NO:
• 7;
• (c) based on the results of (b), identifying a cell that is detected to express T1R3 as a cell that is potentially sensitive to umami tastants (“detected cell”).