Patent ID: 7737254

Claim:
A chimeric T1R1 taste receptor polypeptide containing the extracellular domains of the human T1R1 polypeptide in SEQ ID NO:17 and the transmembrane domains of a GPCR other than the human T1R1 in SEQ ID NO:17 wherein the extracellular domains in said chimeric T1R1 taste receptor polypeptide are at least 90% identical to the entire extracellular domains of the human T1R1 polypeptide in SEQ ID NO:17 and the transmembrane domains are at least 90% identical to the transmembrane domains of another GPCR polypeptide wherein said another GPCR is endogenous (wild-type) human or rodent T1R taste receptor polypeptide other than human T1R1 or a GPCR polypeptide other than a T1R taste receptor polypeptide and wherein a taste receptor comprising said chimeric T1R1 taste receptor polypeptide specifically binds or functionally responds to ligands that specifically bind or modulate the activity of a taste receptor comprising the T1R1 polypeptide in SEQ ID NO:17.