Patent ID: 8030008
Filing Date: 2011-10-04
Classification: G01N

Abstract:
1. A method of identifying a compound that putatively enhances, inhibits, or elicits bitter taste in a human subject comprising (i) screening one or more compounds in a screening assay which identifies compounds that specifically modulate the specific binding or activation of a T2R taste receptor polypeptide by a ligand selected from amino-2-norbornane-carboxylic acid, aristolochic acid, gabapentin, linamarin, lomefloxacin, oxyphenonium HBr, 2,6-dimethylpiperidine, quinine, ranitidine, strychnine, and L-tryptophan wherein said T2R taste receptor polypeptide is selected from the group consisting of: (a) a T2R polypeptide comprising the sequence of SEQ ID NO:36; (b) a T2R polypeptide having at least 95% sequence identity to the polypeptide of SEQ ID NO:36 that specifically binds to a ligand specifically bound by the T2R polypeptide of SEQ ID NO:36; and (ii) identifying a compound as putatively enhancing, inhibiting or eliciting a T2R associated bitter taste sensation in a human subject based on its modulation of the specific binding or activation of said T2R polypeptide by said ligand.