Patent ID: 7834165

Claim:
A recombinant nucleic acid construct encoding a chimeric T1R3 taste receptor polypeptide which chimeric polypeptide specifically binds or functionally responds to taste ligands that specifically bind or modulate the activity of an endogenous human or rodent taste receptor comprising a T1R3 polypeptide selected from SEQ ID NO:4 and SEQ ID NO:17, wherein said nucleic acid construct contains a sequence encoding a polypeptide that is at least 90% identical to the extracellular domains of a T1R3 polypeptide selected from SEQ ID NO:4 and 17 and further comprising a sequence encoding the transmembrane domains of a different GPCR polypeptide other than the T1R3 polypeptide in SEQ ID NO:4 or SEQ IF NO:17.