Patent ID: 7939276

Claim:
An in vitro assay for identifying a compound which modulates a human T2R bitter taste receptor polypeptide that specifically responds to a chlorogenic lactone compound wherein said human T2R bitter taste receptor comprises a polypeptide which is at least 95% identical to the polypeptide of SEQ ID NO:3 wherein said assay comprises: i. screening a test compound for its effect on a chlorogenic lactone compound to induce the activation of a hT2R8, wherein said hT2R8 is a bitter taste receptor polypeptide which comprises a polypeptide which is at least 95% identical to the polypeptide of SEQ ID NO:3, which bitter taste receptor polypeptide specifically responds to a chlorogenic lactone compound, wherein said screening comprises contacting said bitter taste receptor polypeptide with said chlorogenic lactone compound in the presence and absence of a test compound to be screened for its effect on bitter taste elicited by said bitter taste receptor polypeptide, and ii. determining that said test compound modulates hT2R8 associated bitter taste and identifying said test compound as a compound which modulates a human T2R bitter taste receptor polypeptide if said test compound modulates the activation of said bitter taste receptor polypeptide by said chlorogenic lactone compound as compared to the activation of said bitter taste receptor polypeptide by said chlorogenic lactone compound in the absence of said test compound.