Patent ID: 8168403

Claim:
A method of identifying an agonist or antagonist of bitter taste receptor activity comprising: (a) contacting: (i) a polypeptide with a potential antagonist; or (ii) a cell expressing a polypeptide with a potential antagonist; wherein said polypeptide according to (i) or (ii) has bitter taste receptor activity and wherein said polypeptide according to (i) or (ii): (1) comprises SEQ ID NO: 8; or (2) comprises a polypeptide containing only conservative amino acid substitutions in the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 8, said conservative amino acid substitutions numbering 15 or fewer conservative amino acid substitutions in the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 8; and (b) determining whether the potential antagonist antagonizes the bitter taste receptor activity of said polypeptide; wherein prior, concomitantly and/or after step (a) said polypeptide according to (i) or said cell according to (ii) is contacted with an agonist selected from the group consisting of humulone and agonistic derivatives thereof.