Method for identifying compounds that modulate a T2R taste receptor

摘要

The invention provides nucleic acid and amino acid sequences for a novel family of taste transduction G-protein coupled receptors, antibodies to such receptors, methods of detecting such nucleic acids and receptors, and methods of screening for modulators of taste transduction G-protein coupled receptors.

主权项

1. A method for identifying a compound that modulates taste signaling in taste cells, the method comprising the steps of: (i) contacting the compound with a cell which expresses the taste transduction G protein-coupled receptor polypeptide encoded by a nucleic acid encoding a taste transduction G protein-coupled receptor having G protein-coupled receptor activity, the receptor comprising a polypeptide with at least 95% amino acid sequence identity to SEQ ID NO: 30, wherein said receptor detects bitter tastants, with the proviso that said isolated nucleic acid is not an isolated nucleic acid consisting of a genomic DNA; and (ii) determining the functional effect of the compound upon the polypeptide, thereby identifying a compound that modulates taste signaling in taste cells, wherein a modulation in the functional effect identifies a compound that modulates taste signaling.