Patent ID: 7960128

Claim:
A method for identifying a compound that inhibits the perception of a bitter taste and/or promotes the perception of a sweet taste comprising: (i) contacting a cell expressing the TRP8 channel protein of SEQ ID NO: 4 with a test compound and a compound or molecular complex that results in TRP8 activation, and measuring the level of TRP8 activation; (ii) in a separate experiment, contacting a cell expressing the TRP8 channel protein of SEQ ID NO: 4 with a compound or molecular complex that results in TRP8 activation and measuring the level of TRP8 activation, where the conditions are essentially the same as in part (i); and (iii) comparing the level of activation of TRP8 measured in part (i) with the level of activation of TRP8 in part (ii), wherein a decreased level of activation of TRP8 in the presence of the test compound indicates that the test compound is a TRP8 inhibitor and/or a sweet taste promoter.