Patent ID: 8030009

Claim:
An in vitro assay for identifying a compound which modulates a bitter taste receptor polypeptide that specifically binds and/or functionally responds to bitter ligands wherein said taste receptor polypeptide is a polypeptide selected from (1) a polypeptide which comprises the amino acid sequence in SEQ ID NO:16, or (2) a polypeptide having at least 90% sequence identity to the bitter taste receptor polypeptide of SEQ ID NO:16 and which polypeptide of (i), or (ii) specifically binds and/or functionally responds to bitter ligands that bind or activate the bitter taste receptor polypeptide in SEQ ID NO:16 wherein said assay comprises: i: screening a compound for its specific binding to said polypeptide or its effect if any on the activation of said bitter taste receptor polypeptide and ii: identifying said compound as a potential bitter taste modulator if it specifically binds to and/or enhances or inhibits the activation of said bitter taste receptor polypeptide.