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Feng P, Wang H, Liang X, Dong X, Liang Q, Shu F, Zhou Q. Relationships between Bitter Taste Receptor Gene Evolution, Diet, and Gene Repertoire in Primates. Genome Biol Evol 2024; 16:evae104. [PMID: 38748818 PMCID: PMC11135642 DOI: 10.1093/gbe/evae104] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 05/08/2024] [Indexed: 05/30/2024] Open
Abstract
Bitter taste perception plays a critical role in deterring animals from consuming harmful and toxic substances. To characterize the evolution of primate Tas2r, test the generality of Tas2r duplication in Cercopithecidae species, and examine whether dietary preferences have shaped the Tas2r repertoire of primate species, we identified Tas2r in the genomes of 35 primate species, including 16 Cercopithecidae, 6 Hominidae, 4 Cebidae, 3 Lemuridae, and 6 other species. The results showed that the total number of primate Tas2r ranged from 27 to 51, concentrating on 2 to 4 scaffolds of each species. Closely related genes were tandemly duplicated in the same scaffold. Phylogenetic construction revealed that Tas2r can be divided into 21 clades, including anthropoid-, Strepsirrhini-, and Cercopithecidae-specific Tas2r duplications. Phylogenetically independent contrast analysis revealed that the number of intact Tas2r significantly correlated with feeding preferences. Altogether, our data support diet as a driver of primate Tas2r evolution, and Cercopithecidae species have developed some specific Tas2r duplication during evolution. These results are probably because most Cercopithecidae species feed on plants containing many toxins, and it is necessary to develop specialized Tas2r to protect them from poisoning.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ping Feng
- Key Laboratory of Ecology of Rare and Endangered Species and Environmental Protection, Ministry of Education of the People’s Republic of China, Guangxi Normal University, Guilin, Guangxi, China
- Guangxi Key Laboratory of Rare and Endangered Animal Ecology, Guangxi Normal University, Guilin, Guangxi, China
| | - Hui Wang
- Key Laboratory of Ecology of Rare and Endangered Species and Environmental Protection, Ministry of Education of the People’s Republic of China, Guangxi Normal University, Guilin, Guangxi, China
- Guangxi Key Laboratory of Rare and Endangered Animal Ecology, Guangxi Normal University, Guilin, Guangxi, China
| | - Xinyue Liang
- Key Laboratory of Ecology of Rare and Endangered Species and Environmental Protection, Ministry of Education of the People’s Republic of China, Guangxi Normal University, Guilin, Guangxi, China
- Guangxi Key Laboratory of Rare and Endangered Animal Ecology, Guangxi Normal University, Guilin, Guangxi, China
| | - Xiaoyan Dong
- Key Laboratory of Ecology of Rare and Endangered Species and Environmental Protection, Ministry of Education of the People’s Republic of China, Guangxi Normal University, Guilin, Guangxi, China
- Guangxi Key Laboratory of Rare and Endangered Animal Ecology, Guangxi Normal University, Guilin, Guangxi, China
| | - Qiufang Liang
- Key Laboratory of Ecology of Rare and Endangered Species and Environmental Protection, Ministry of Education of the People’s Republic of China, Guangxi Normal University, Guilin, Guangxi, China
- Guangxi Key Laboratory of Rare and Endangered Animal Ecology, Guangxi Normal University, Guilin, Guangxi, China
| | - Fanglan Shu
- Key Laboratory of Ecology of Rare and Endangered Species and Environmental Protection, Ministry of Education of the People’s Republic of China, Guangxi Normal University, Guilin, Guangxi, China
- Guangxi Key Laboratory of Rare and Endangered Animal Ecology, Guangxi Normal University, Guilin, Guangxi, China
| | - Qihai Zhou
- Key Laboratory of Ecology of Rare and Endangered Species and Environmental Protection, Ministry of Education of the People’s Republic of China, Guangxi Normal University, Guilin, Guangxi, China
- Guangxi Key Laboratory of Rare and Endangered Animal Ecology, Guangxi Normal University, Guilin, Guangxi, China
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Nolden AA, Behrens M, McGeary JE, Meyerhof W, Hayes JE. Differential Activation of TAS2R4 May Recover Ability to Taste Propylthiouracil for Some TAS2R38 AVI Homozygotes. Nutrients 2024; 16:1357. [PMID: 38732607 PMCID: PMC11085076 DOI: 10.3390/nu16091357] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/28/2024] [Revised: 04/24/2024] [Accepted: 04/25/2024] [Indexed: 05/13/2024] Open
Abstract
Bitterness from phenylthiocarbamide and 6-n-propylthiouracil (PROP) varies with polymorphisms in the TAS2R38 gene. Three SNPs form two common (AVI, PAV) and four rare haplotypes (AAI, AAV, PVI, and PAI). AVI homozygotes exhibit higher detection thresholds and lower suprathreshold bitterness for PROP compared to PAV homozygotes and heterozygotes, and these differences may influence alcohol and vegetable intake. Within a diplotype, substantial variation in suprathreshold bitterness persists, and some AVI homozygotes report moderate bitterness at high concentrations. A second receptor encoded by a gene containing a functional polymorphism may explain this. Early work has suggested that PROP might activate TAS2R4 in vitro, but later work did not replicate this. Here, we identify three TAS2R4 SNPs that result in three diplotypes-SLN/SLN, FVS/SLN, and FVS/FVS-which make up 25.1%, 44.9%, and 23.9% of our sample. These TAS2R4 haplotypes show minimal linkage disequilibrium with TAS2R38, so we examined the suprathreshold bitterness as a function of both. The participants (n = 243) rated five PROP concentrations in duplicate, interleaved with other stimuli. As expected, the TAS2R38 haplotypes explained ~29% (p < 0.0001) of the variation in the bitterness ratings, with substantial variation within the haplotypes (AVI/AVI, PAV/AVI, and PAV/PAV). Notably, the TAS2R4 diplotypes (independent of the TAS2R38 haplotypes) explained ~7-8% of the variation in the bitterness ratings (p = 0.0001). Given this, we revisited if PROP could activate heterologously expressed TAS2R4 in HEK293T cells, and calcium imaging indicated 3 mM PROP is a weak TAS2R4 agonist. In sum, our data are consistent with the second receptor hypothesis and may explain the recovery of the PROP tasting phenotype in some AVI homozygotes; further, this finding may potentially help explain the conflicting results on the TAS2R38 diplotype and food intake.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alissa A. Nolden
- Department of Food Science, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, MA 01003, USA;
- Sensory Evaluation Center, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802, USA
- Department of Food Science, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802, USA
| | - Maik Behrens
- German Institute of Human Nutrition Potsdam-Rehbruecke, Department Molecular Genetics, 14558 Nuthetal, Germany; (M.B.); (W.M.)
- Leibniz Institute for Food Systems Biology, Technical University of Munich, 85354 Freising, Germany
| | - John E. McGeary
- Center of Innovation in Long Term Services & Supports, VA Providence Healthcare, Providence, RI 02908, USA;
- Department of Psychiatry & Human Behavior, Alpert Medical School of Brown University, Providence, RI 02903, USA
| | - Wolfgang Meyerhof
- German Institute of Human Nutrition Potsdam-Rehbruecke, Department Molecular Genetics, 14558 Nuthetal, Germany; (M.B.); (W.M.)
- Center for Integrative Physiology and Molecular Medicine, Saarland University, 66424 Homburg, Germany
| | - John E. Hayes
- Sensory Evaluation Center, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802, USA
- Department of Food Science, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802, USA
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Feng P, Liang X, Yu H, Dong X, Liang Q, Dai C. The evolution of bitter taste receptor gene in primates: Gene duplication and selection. Ecol Evol 2023; 13:e10610. [PMID: 37841228 PMCID: PMC10571502 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.10610] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/01/2022] [Revised: 09/08/2023] [Accepted: 09/25/2023] [Indexed: 10/17/2023] Open
Abstract
Bitter taste perception plays an important role in preventing animals from digesting poisonous and harmful substances. In primates, especially the Cercopithecidae species, most species feed on plants; thus, it is reasonable to speculate that most of the bitter taste receptor genes (T2Rs) of primates are under purifying selection to maintain the functional stability of bitter taste perception. Gene duplication has happened in T2Rs frequently, and what will be the fate of T2Rs copies is another question we are concerned about. To answer these questions, we selected the T2Rs of primates reported in another study and conducted corresponding selective pressure analyses to determine what kind of selective pressure was acting on them. Further, we carried out selective pressure analyses on gene copies and their corresponding ancestors by considering several possible situations. The results showed that among the 25 gene groups examined here, 15 groups are subject to purifying selection and others are under relaxed selection, with many positively selected sites detected. Gene copies existed in several groups, but only some groups (clade1_a1-b2, clade1_c-c2, clade1_d1-d3, clade1_f1-f2, T2R10, T2R13, and T2R42) have positively selected sites, inferring that they may have some relation to functional divergence. Taken together, T2Rs in primates are under diverse selective pressures, and most gene copies are subject to the same selective pressures. In such cases, the copies may be just to keep the function conservative, and more copies can increase the quantity of the bitter taste receptor, raise the efficiency of bitter substance recognition, and finally enhance the fitness of feeding during the evolutionary course of primates. This study can improve our understanding of T2Rs evolution in primates.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ping Feng
- Key Laboratory of Ecology of Rare and Endangered Species and Environmental Protection, Ministry of Education of the People's Republic of ChinaGuangxi Normal UniversityGuilinGuangxiChina
- Guangxi Key Laboratory of Rare and Endangered Animal EcologyGuangxi Normal UniversityGuilinGuangxiChina
| | - Xinyue Liang
- Key Laboratory of Ecology of Rare and Endangered Species and Environmental Protection, Ministry of Education of the People's Republic of ChinaGuangxi Normal UniversityGuilinGuangxiChina
- Guangxi Key Laboratory of Rare and Endangered Animal EcologyGuangxi Normal UniversityGuilinGuangxiChina
| | - Hongling Yu
- Key Laboratory of Ecology of Rare and Endangered Species and Environmental Protection, Ministry of Education of the People's Republic of ChinaGuangxi Normal UniversityGuilinGuangxiChina
- Guangxi Key Laboratory of Rare and Endangered Animal EcologyGuangxi Normal UniversityGuilinGuangxiChina
| | - Xiaoyan Dong
- Key Laboratory of Ecology of Rare and Endangered Species and Environmental Protection, Ministry of Education of the People's Republic of ChinaGuangxi Normal UniversityGuilinGuangxiChina
- Guangxi Key Laboratory of Rare and Endangered Animal EcologyGuangxi Normal UniversityGuilinGuangxiChina
| | - Qiufang Liang
- Key Laboratory of Ecology of Rare and Endangered Species and Environmental Protection, Ministry of Education of the People's Republic of ChinaGuangxi Normal UniversityGuilinGuangxiChina
- Guangxi Key Laboratory of Rare and Endangered Animal EcologyGuangxi Normal UniversityGuilinGuangxiChina
| | - Chuanyin Dai
- Key Laboratory of Ecology of Rare and Endangered Species and Environmental Protection, Ministry of Education of the People's Republic of ChinaGuangxi Normal UniversityGuilinGuangxiChina
- Guangxi Key Laboratory of Rare and Endangered Animal EcologyGuangxi Normal UniversityGuilinGuangxiChina
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Nor NDM, Mullick H, Zhou X, Oloyede O, Houston-Price C, Harvey K, Methven L. Consumer Liking of Turnip Cooked by Different Methods: The Influence of Sensory Profile and Consumer Bitter Taste Genotype. Foods 2023; 12:3188. [PMID: 37685121 PMCID: PMC10486966 DOI: 10.3390/foods12173188] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/16/2023] [Revised: 08/21/2023] [Accepted: 08/22/2023] [Indexed: 09/10/2023] Open
Abstract
Brassica vegetables are bitter, predominantly because they contain bitter-tasting glucosinolates. Individuals with high bitter taste sensitivity are reported to have lower consumption of bitter vegetables. Studies reported that cooking methods can alter the sensory characteristics of vegetables, increasing acceptability. This study investigated consumer liking of turnip cooked by four methods (boiled-pureed, roasted, steamed-pureed and stir-fried) and related this to sensory characteristics. Additionally, this study examined the effect of the bitter taste genotype on taste perception and liking of the cooked turnip samples. Participants (n = 74) were recruited and the TAS2R38 genotype was measured. Liking, consumption intent, perception of bitterness and sweetness of turnip were evaluated. A sensory profile of the cooked turnip variants was also determined by a trained sensory panel. There were significant differences in the overall (p = 0.001) and taste (p = 0.002) liking between cooking methods. Turnip liking was increased when preparation led to sweeter taste profiles. The TAS2R38 genotype had a significant effect on bitter perception (p = 0.02) but did not significantly affect taste liking. In conclusion, the cooking method affected turnip liking, and the bitter perception in turnip was influenced by the TAS2R38 genotype. However, taste sensitivity did not predict turnip liking in this UK adult cohort.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nurfarhana Diana Mohd Nor
- Department of Early Childhood Education, Faculty of Human Development, Sultan Idris Education University, Tanjong Malim 35900, Perak, Malaysia;
- Sensory Science Centre, Department of Food and Nutritional Sciences, University of Reading, Whiteknights, Reading RG6 6AP, UK; (H.M.); (X.Z.); (O.O.)
| | - Harshita Mullick
- Sensory Science Centre, Department of Food and Nutritional Sciences, University of Reading, Whiteknights, Reading RG6 6AP, UK; (H.M.); (X.Z.); (O.O.)
| | - Xirui Zhou
- Sensory Science Centre, Department of Food and Nutritional Sciences, University of Reading, Whiteknights, Reading RG6 6AP, UK; (H.M.); (X.Z.); (O.O.)
| | - Omobolanle Oloyede
- Sensory Science Centre, Department of Food and Nutritional Sciences, University of Reading, Whiteknights, Reading RG6 6AP, UK; (H.M.); (X.Z.); (O.O.)
- Department of Nutrition, Food and Exercise Sciences, Dorothy Hodgkin Building, University of Surrey, Stag Hill, Guilford GU2 7XH, UK
| | - Carmel Houston-Price
- School of Psychology and Clinical Language Sciences, University of Reading, Early Gate, Whiteknights, Reading RG6 6AL, UK; (C.H.-P.); (K.H.)
| | - Kate Harvey
- School of Psychology and Clinical Language Sciences, University of Reading, Early Gate, Whiteknights, Reading RG6 6AL, UK; (C.H.-P.); (K.H.)
| | - Lisa Methven
- Sensory Science Centre, Department of Food and Nutritional Sciences, University of Reading, Whiteknights, Reading RG6 6AP, UK; (H.M.); (X.Z.); (O.O.)
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Aoki K, Mori K, Iijima S, Sakon M, Matsuura N, Kobayashi T, Takanashi M, Yoshimura T, Mori N, Katayama T. Association between Genetic Variation in the TAS2R38 Bitter Taste Receptor and Propylthiouracil Bitter Taste Thresholds among Adults Living in Japan Using the Modified 2AFC Procedure with the Quest Method. Nutrients 2023; 15:2415. [PMID: 37242298 PMCID: PMC10222862 DOI: 10.3390/nu15102415] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/15/2023] [Revised: 05/15/2023] [Accepted: 05/15/2023] [Indexed: 05/28/2023] Open
Abstract
Individual taste sensitivity influences food preferences, nutritional control, and health, and differs greatly between individuals. The purpose of this study was to establish a method of measuring and quantifying an individual's taste sensitivity and to evaluate the relationship between taste variation and genetic polymorphisms in humans using agonist specificities of the bitter taste receptor gene, TAS2R38, with the bitter compound 6-n-propylthiouracil (PROP). We precisely detected the threshold of PROP bitter perception by conducting the modified two-alternative forced-choice (2AFC) procedure with the Bayesian staircase procedure of the QUEST method and examined genetic variation in TAS2R38 in a Japanese population. There were significant differences in PROP threshold between the three TAS2R38 genotype pairs for 79 subjects: PAV/PAV vs AVI/AVI, p < 0.001; PAV/AVI vs AVI/AVI, p < 0.001; and PAV/PAV vs PAV/AVI, p < 0.01. Our results quantified individual bitter perception as QUEST threshold values: the PROP bitter perception of individuals with the PAV/PAV or PAV/AVI genotypes was tens to fifty times more sensitive than that of an individual with the AVI/AVI genotype. Our analyses provide a basic model for the accurate estimation of taste thresholds using the modified 2AFC with the QUEST approach.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kyoko Aoki
- Department of Advanced Medical Treatment & Nutritional Science, United Graduate School of Child Development, Osaka University, Suita 565-0871, Osaka, Japan; (K.M.); (N.M.); (T.K.)
| | - Kanetaka Mori
- Department of Advanced Medical Treatment & Nutritional Science, United Graduate School of Child Development, Osaka University, Suita 565-0871, Osaka, Japan; (K.M.); (N.M.); (T.K.)
- Division of Math, Sciences, and Information Technology in Education, Osaka Kyoiku University, Kashiwara 582-8582, Osaka, Japan
| | - Shohei Iijima
- Osaka Prefectural Hospital Organization, Osaka International Cancer Institute, Chuo-ku 541-8567, Osaka, Japan; (S.I.); (M.S.)
| | - Masato Sakon
- Osaka Prefectural Hospital Organization, Osaka International Cancer Institute, Chuo-ku 541-8567, Osaka, Japan; (S.I.); (M.S.)
| | - Nariaki Matsuura
- Department of Advanced Medical Treatment & Nutritional Science, United Graduate School of Child Development, Osaka University, Suita 565-0871, Osaka, Japan; (K.M.); (N.M.); (T.K.)
- Osaka Prefectural Hospital Organization, Osaka International Cancer Institute, Chuo-ku 541-8567, Osaka, Japan; (S.I.); (M.S.)
| | | | | | - Takeshi Yoshimura
- Department of Child Development and Molecular Brain Science, United Graduate School of Child Development, Osaka University, Suita 565-0871, Osaka, Japan
| | - Norio Mori
- Department of Advanced Medical Treatment & Nutritional Science, United Graduate School of Child Development, Osaka University, Suita 565-0871, Osaka, Japan; (K.M.); (N.M.); (T.K.)
- Department of Psychiatry and Neurology, Fukude Nishi Hospital, Iwata 437-1216, Shizuoka, Japan
| | - Taiichi Katayama
- Department of Advanced Medical Treatment & Nutritional Science, United Graduate School of Child Development, Osaka University, Suita 565-0871, Osaka, Japan; (K.M.); (N.M.); (T.K.)
- Department of Child Development and Molecular Brain Science, United Graduate School of Child Development, Osaka University, Suita 565-0871, Osaka, Japan
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Kurshed AAM, Vincze F, Pikó P, Kósa Z, Sándor J, Ádány R, Diószegi J. Taste Preference-Related Genetic Polymorphisms Modify Alcohol Consumption Behavior of the Hungarian General and Roma Populations. Genes (Basel) 2023; 14:genes14030666. [PMID: 36980937 PMCID: PMC10048713 DOI: 10.3390/genes14030666] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/12/2023] [Revised: 02/28/2023] [Accepted: 03/06/2023] [Indexed: 03/30/2023] Open
Abstract
Harmful alcohol consumption has been considered a major public health issue globally, with the amounts of alcohol drunk being highest in the WHO European Region including Hungary. Alcohol consumption behaviors are complex human traits influenced by environmental factors and numerous genes. Beyond alcohol metabolization and neurotransmitter gene polymorphisms, taste preference-related genetic variants may also mediate alcohol consumption behaviors. Applying the Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test (AUDIT) we aimed to elucidate the underlying genetic determinants of alcohol consumption patterns considering taste preference gene polymorphisms (TAS1R3 rs307355, TAS2R38 rs713598, TAS2R19 rs10772420 and CA6 rs2274333) in the Hungarian general (HG) and Roma (HR) populations. Alcohol consumption assessment was available for 410 HG and 387 HR individuals with 405 HG and 364 HR DNA samples being obtained for genotyping. No significant associations were found between TAS1R3 rs307355, TAS2R19 rs10772420, and CA6 rs2274333 polymorphisms and alcohol consumption phenotypes. Significant associations were identified between TAS2R38 rs713598 and the number of standard drinks consumed in the HG sample (genotype GG negatively correlated with the number of standard drinks; coef: -0.136, p = 0.028) and the prevalence of having six or more drinks among Roma (a negative correlation was identified in the recessive model; genotype GG, coef: -0.170, p = 0.049), although, none of these findings passed the Bonferroni-corrected probability criterion (p > 0.05). Nevertheless, our findings may suggest that alcohol consumption is partially driven by genetically determined taste preferences in our study populations. Further studies are required to strengthen the findings and to understand the drivers of alcohol consumption behavior in more depth.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ali Abbas Mohammad Kurshed
- Department of Public Health and Epidemiology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Debrecen, 4028 Debrecen, Hungary
- Doctoral School of Health Sciences, University of Debrecen, 4032 Debrecen, Hungary
- Institute of Nutrition and Food Science, University of Dhaka, Dhaka 1000, Bangladesh
| | - Ferenc Vincze
- Department of Public Health and Epidemiology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Debrecen, 4028 Debrecen, Hungary
| | - Péter Pikó
- ELKH-DE Public Health Research Group, University of Debrecen, 4028 Debrecen, Hungary
| | - Zsigmond Kósa
- Department of Health Methodology and Public Health, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Debrecen, 4400 Nyíregyháza, Hungary
| | - János Sándor
- Department of Public Health and Epidemiology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Debrecen, 4028 Debrecen, Hungary
- ELKH-DE Public Health Research Group, University of Debrecen, 4028 Debrecen, Hungary
| | - Róza Ádány
- Department of Public Health and Epidemiology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Debrecen, 4028 Debrecen, Hungary
- ELKH-DE Public Health Research Group, University of Debrecen, 4028 Debrecen, Hungary
- Department of Public Health, Semmelweis University, 1089 Budapest, Hungary
| | - Judit Diószegi
- Department of Public Health and Epidemiology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Debrecen, 4028 Debrecen, Hungary
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Yan J, Tong H. An overview of bitter compounds in foodstuffs: Classifications, evaluation methods for sensory contribution, separation and identification techniques, and mechanism of bitter taste transduction. Compr Rev Food Sci Food Saf 2023; 22:187-232. [PMID: 36382875 DOI: 10.1111/1541-4337.13067] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/15/2022] [Revised: 08/24/2022] [Accepted: 10/11/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
The bitter taste is generally considered an undesirable sensory attribute. However, bitter-tasting compounds can significantly affect the overall flavor of many foods and beverages and endow them with various beneficial effects on human health. To better understand the relationship between chemical structure and bitterness, this paper has summarized the bitter compounds in foodstuffs and classified them based on the basic skeletons. Only those bitter compounds that are confirmed by human sensory evaluation have been included in this paper. To develop food products that satisfy consumer preferences, correctly ranking the key bitter compounds in foodstuffs according to their contributions to the overall bitterness intensity is the precondition. Generally, three methods were applied to screen out the key bitter compounds in foods and beverages and evaluate their sensory contributions, including dose-over-threshold factors, taste dilution analysis, and spectrum descriptive analysis method. This paper has discussed in detail the mechanisms and applications of these three methods. Typical procedures for separating and identifying the main bitter compounds in foodstuffs have also been summarized. Additionally, the activation of human bitter taste receptors (TAS2Rs) and the mechanisms of bitter taste transduction are outlined. Ultimately, a conclusion has been drawn to highlight the current problems and propose potential directions for further research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jingna Yan
- College of Food Science, Southwest University, Chongqing, China
| | - Huarong Tong
- College of Food Science, Southwest University, Chongqing, China
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Yamaki M, Saito H, Mimori T, Suzuki Y, Nagasaki M, Suzuki K, Satoh-Kuriwada S, Shoji N, Isono K, Goto T, Shirakawa H, Komai M. Analysis of Genetic Polymorphism of Bitter Taste Receptor TAS2R38 and TAS2R46, and Its Relationship with Eating and Drinking Habits in Japanese ToMMo Subjects. J Nutr Sci Vitaminol (Tokyo) 2023; 69:347-356. [PMID: 37940575 DOI: 10.3177/jnsv.69.347] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/10/2023]
Abstract
Human type 2 taste receptor (TAS2R) genes encode bitter-taste receptors that are activated by various bitter ligands. It has been said that TAS2R38 may detect bitter substances and then suppress their intake by controlling gustatory or digestive responses. The major haplotypes of TAS2R38 involve three non-synonymous, closely-linked single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs), leading to three amino acid substitutions (A49P, V262A and I296V) and resulting in a PAV or AVI allele. The allele frequency of AVI/PAV was 0.42/0.58 in this study. The genotype frequency distributions of TAS2R38 were 18.32%, 46.95% and 33.95% for AVI/AVI, AVI/PAV and PAV/PAV, respectively, and were in Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium. Five haplotype combinations of minor alleles were identified: AVI/AAV, AVI/AVV, AAI/PAV, AVI/PVV, AVI/AAI, with corresponding frequencies of 0.49%, 0.10%, 0.10%, 0.05%, 0.05%, respectively, in 2,047 Japanese Tohoku Medical Megabank Organization (ToMMo) subjects (2KJPN). The 16 subjects with these minor alleles were excluded from the questionnaire analysis, which found no significant differences among the major TAS2R38 genotypes (AVI/AVI, AVI/PAV and PAV/PAV) in the intake frequency of cruciferous vegetables or in the frequency of drinking alcohol. This result differs from previous data using American and European subjects. This is the first study to analyze the relationship between TAS2R38 genotype and the eating and drinking habits of Japanese subjects. It was also shown that there were no relationships at all between the genetic polymorphism of TAS2R46 and the phenotypes such as clinical BMI, eating and drinking habits among the 3 genotypes of TAS2R46 (∗/∗, ∗/W, W/W) at position W250∗ (∗stop codon).
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Affiliation(s)
- Michiko Yamaki
- Laboratory of Nutrition, Department of Food and Natural Product Science, Graduate School of Agricultural Science, Tohoku University
- Department of Home Economics, Division of Health and Nutrition, Tohoku Seikatsu Bunka University
| | - Hiroki Saito
- Laboratory of Nutrition, Department of Food and Natural Product Science, Graduate School of Agricultural Science, Tohoku University
| | | | - Yoichi Suzuki
- Tohoku Medical Megabank Organization, Tohoku University
| | - Masao Nagasaki
- Tohoku Medical Megabank Organization, Tohoku University
- Center for Genomic Medicine, Graduate School of Medicine, Kyoto University
| | | | - Shizuko Satoh-Kuriwada
- Department of Disease Management Dentistry, Division of Comprehensive Dentistry, Tohoku University Graduate School of Dentistry
| | - Noriaki Shoji
- Department of Disease Management Dentistry, Division of Dental Informatics and Radiology, Tohoku University Graduate School of Dentistry
| | - Kunio Isono
- Laboratory of Nutrition, Department of Food and Natural Product Science, Graduate School of Agricultural Science, Tohoku University
| | - Tomoko Goto
- Laboratory of Nutrition, Department of Food and Natural Product Science, Graduate School of Agricultural Science, Tohoku University
- Faculty of Human Life Science, Miyagi Gakuin Women's University
| | - Hitoshi Shirakawa
- Laboratory of Nutrition, Department of Food and Natural Product Science, Graduate School of Agricultural Science, Tohoku University
| | - Michio Komai
- Laboratory of Nutrition, Department of Food and Natural Product Science, Graduate School of Agricultural Science, Tohoku University
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Wooding SP, Ramirez VA. Global population genetics and diversity in the TAS2R bitter taste receptor family. Front Genet 2022; 13:952299. [PMID: 36303543 PMCID: PMC9592824 DOI: 10.3389/fgene.2022.952299] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/24/2022] [Accepted: 08/25/2022] [Indexed: 12/03/2022] Open
Abstract
Bitter taste receptors (TAS2Rs) are noted for their role in perception, and mounting evidence suggests that they mediate responses to compounds entering airways, gut, and other tissues. The importance of these roles suggests that TAS2Rs have been under pressure from natural selection. To determine the extent of variation in TAS2Rs on a global scale and its implications for human evolution and behavior, we analyzed patterns of diversity in the complete 25 gene repertoire of human TAS2Rs in ∼2,500 subjects representing worldwide populations. Across the TAS2R family as a whole, we observed 721 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) including 494 nonsynonymous SNPs along with 40 indels and gained and lost start and stop codons. In addition, computational predictions identified 169 variants particularly likely to affect receptor function, making them candidate sources of phenotypic variation. Diversity levels ranged widely among loci, with the number of segregating sites ranging from 17 to 41 with a mean of 32 among genes and per nucleotide heterozygosity (π) ranging from 0.02% to 0.36% with a mean of 0.12%. FST ranged from 0.01 to 0.26 with a mean of 0.13, pointing to modest differentiation among populations. Comparisons of observed π and FST values with their genome wide distributions revealed that most fell between the 5th and 95th percentiles and were thus consistent with expectations. Further, tests for natural selection using Tajima’s D statistic revealed only two loci departing from expectations given D’s genome wide distribution. These patterns are consistent with an overall relaxation of selective pressure on TAS2Rs in the course of recent human evolution.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stephen P. Wooding
- Department of Anthropology, University of California, Merced, Merced, CA, United States
- *Correspondence: Stephen P. Wooding,
| | - Vicente A. Ramirez
- Department of Public Health, University of California, Merced, Merced, CA, United States
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10
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Nolden AA, Hayes JE, Feeney EL. Variation in TAS2R receptor genes explains differential bitterness of two common antibiotics. Front Genet 2022; 13:960154. [PMID: 35967977 PMCID: PMC9366911 DOI: 10.3389/fgene.2022.960154] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/02/2022] [Accepted: 06/29/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
For pharmaceuticals to deliver their full benefits with maximum efficacy, patients need to follow recommended dosing schedules, in terms of amount and frequency. Unfortunately, the aversive taste of many drugs, especially bitterness, can reduce patient compliance in oral liquid formulations. Given common genetic differences in bitter taste receptor genes (TAS2Rs), some individuals may be at increased risk for poor compliance due to heightened bitterness that becomes a barrier to proper use. Here we report on the sensory profile of two antibiotics, chloramphenicol and ofloxacin, investigating whether bitterness intensity associates with nominally functional TAS2R variants. Participants (n = 143) rated suprathreshold intensity on a general Labeled Magnitude Scale (gLMS) for chloramphenicol and ofloxacin; propylthiouracil (PROP) was included as a control, given robust prior associations with TAS2R38 variants. The dominant sensation from chloramphenicol and ofloxacin was bitterness, falling just below “moderate” on a gLMS. TAS2R38 diplotype associated with variable bitterness of chloramphenicol and PROP, but not ofloxacin. The bitterness of ofloxacin associated with a TAS2R9 SNP (V187A). This pilot study provides novel evidence on differences in the bitterness from two antibiotics, which are associated with TAS2R variants. Improved understanding of individualized barriers to patient compliance, especially for oral formulations, can guide future efforts to optimize delivery systems for improved compliance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alissa A Nolden
- Department of Food Science, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, MA, United States
| | - John E Hayes
- Department of Food Science, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, United States
| | - Emma L Feeney
- Institute of Food and Health, University College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland
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11
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Hayes JE, Baker AN. Flavor science in the context of research on electronic cigarettes. Front Neurosci 2022; 16:918082. [PMID: 35968379 PMCID: PMC9365686 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2022.918082] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/12/2022] [Accepted: 07/01/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Thousands start smoking or vaping daily, despite long-standing efforts by public health authorities to curb initiation and use of nicotine containing products. Over the last 15 years, use of electronic nicotine delivery systems has increased dramatically, with a diverse range of products on the market, including pod-based, disposable, and refillable electronic cigarettes (eCigs). Originally intended for harm reduction and smoking cessation, eCigs may encourage nicotine use among never smokers, given the vast range of appealing flavors that are available. To better understand abuse liability and to facilitate appropriate regulations, it is crucial to understand the science of flavor, and flavor perception within the context of eCig use. Here, we (a) provide a brief primer on chemosensory perception and flavor science for addiction and nicotine researchers, and (b) highlight existing some literature regarding flavor and nicotine use, with specific attention given to individual differences in perception, and interaction between different sensory modalities that contribute to flavor. Dramatic increases in use of eCigs highlights the importance of flavor science in contemporary addiction research, both with regards to public health and regulatory efforts. Other recent work summarizes findings on flavored e-liquids and eCig use, but none have focused explicitly on chemosensory processes or flavor perception as they relate to appeal and use of such products. We argue flavor science needs to be considered as perceptual and behavioral phenomena, and not merely from analytical, toxicological and pharmacological perspectives; we help address this gap here.
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Affiliation(s)
- John E. Hayes
- Sensory Evaluation Center, College of Agricultural Sciences, The Pennsylvania State University, State College, PA, United States
- Department of Food Science, College of Agricultural Sciences, The Pennsylvania State University, State College, PA, United States
- Interdepartmental Neuroscience Program, Huck Institutes of Life Sciences, The Pennsylvania State University, State College, PA, United States
| | - Allison N. Baker
- Sensory Evaluation Center, College of Agricultural Sciences, The Pennsylvania State University, State College, PA, United States
- Interdepartmental Neuroscience Program, Huck Institutes of Life Sciences, The Pennsylvania State University, State College, PA, United States
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12
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Cecati M, Vignini A, Borroni F, Pugnaloni S, Alia S, Sabbatinelli J, Nicolai G, Taus M, Santarelli A, Fabri M, Mazzanti L, Emanuelli M. TAS1R3 and TAS2R38 Polymorphisms Affect Sweet Taste Perception: An Observational Study on Healthy and Obese Subjects. Nutrients 2022; 14:nu14091711. [PMID: 35565677 PMCID: PMC9101038 DOI: 10.3390/nu14091711] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/12/2022] [Revised: 04/16/2022] [Accepted: 04/18/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Background: The inter-individual differences in taste perception find a possible rationale in genetic variations. We verified whether the presence of four different single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in genes encoding for bitter (TAS2R38; 145G > C; 785T > C) and sweet (TAS1R3; −1572C > T; −1266C > T) taste receptors influenced the recognition of the basic tastes. Furthermore, we tested if the allelic distribution of such SNPs varied according to BMI and whether the associations between SNPs and taste recognition were influenced by the presence of overweight/obesity. Methods: DNA of 85 overweight/obese patients and 57 normal weight volunteers was used to investigate the SNPs. For the taste test, filter paper strips were applied. Each of the basic tastes (sweet, sour, salty, bitter) plus pure rapeseed oil, and water were tested. Results: Individuals carrying the AV/AV diplotype of the TAS2R38 gene (A49P G/G and V262 T/T) were less sensitive to sweet taste recognition. These alterations remained significant after adjustment for gender and BMI. Moreover, a significant decrease in overall taste recognition associated with BMI and age was found. There was no significant difference in allelic distribution for the investigated polymorphisms between normal and overweight/obese patients. Conclusions: Our findings suggest that overall taste recognition depends on age and BMI. In the total population, the inter-individual ability to identify the sweet taste at different concentrations was related to the presence of at least one genetic variant for the bitter receptor gene but not to the BMI.
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Affiliation(s)
- Monia Cecati
- Department of Clinical Sciences, Università Politecnica delle Marche, 60126 Ancona, Italy; (M.C.); (S.P.); (S.A.); (J.S.); (A.S.); (L.M.); (M.E.)
| | - Arianna Vignini
- Department of Clinical Sciences, Università Politecnica delle Marche, 60126 Ancona, Italy; (M.C.); (S.P.); (S.A.); (J.S.); (A.S.); (L.M.); (M.E.)
- Research Center of Health Education and Health Promotion, Università Politecnica delle Marche, 60126 Ancona, Italy
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +39-071-2206058
| | - Francesca Borroni
- Department of Clinical Sciences, School of Specialization in Clinical Nutrition, Università Politecnica delle Marche, 60126 Ancona, Italy;
| | - Sofia Pugnaloni
- Department of Clinical Sciences, Università Politecnica delle Marche, 60126 Ancona, Italy; (M.C.); (S.P.); (S.A.); (J.S.); (A.S.); (L.M.); (M.E.)
| | - Sonila Alia
- Department of Clinical Sciences, Università Politecnica delle Marche, 60126 Ancona, Italy; (M.C.); (S.P.); (S.A.); (J.S.); (A.S.); (L.M.); (M.E.)
| | - Jacopo Sabbatinelli
- Department of Clinical Sciences, Università Politecnica delle Marche, 60126 Ancona, Italy; (M.C.); (S.P.); (S.A.); (J.S.); (A.S.); (L.M.); (M.E.)
| | - Giulia Nicolai
- Dietology and Clinical Nutrition, Azienda Ospedaliero Universitaria Ospedali Riuniti di Ancona, 60126 Ancona, Italy; (G.N.); (M.T.)
| | - Marina Taus
- Dietology and Clinical Nutrition, Azienda Ospedaliero Universitaria Ospedali Riuniti di Ancona, 60126 Ancona, Italy; (G.N.); (M.T.)
| | - Andrea Santarelli
- Department of Clinical Sciences, Università Politecnica delle Marche, 60126 Ancona, Italy; (M.C.); (S.P.); (S.A.); (J.S.); (A.S.); (L.M.); (M.E.)
| | - Mara Fabri
- Department of Life and Environmental Sciences, Università Politecnica delle Marche, 60131 Ancona, Italy;
| | - Laura Mazzanti
- Department of Clinical Sciences, Università Politecnica delle Marche, 60126 Ancona, Italy; (M.C.); (S.P.); (S.A.); (J.S.); (A.S.); (L.M.); (M.E.)
- Fondazione Salesi, Ospedale G. Salesi, 60123 Ancona, Italy
| | - Monica Emanuelli
- Department of Clinical Sciences, Università Politecnica delle Marche, 60126 Ancona, Italy; (M.C.); (S.P.); (S.A.); (J.S.); (A.S.); (L.M.); (M.E.)
- New York-Marche Structural Biology Center (NY-MaSBiC), Università Politecnica delle Marche, 60131 Ancona, Italy
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13
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Gajari D, Rumbak I, Ranilović J, Tomić-Obrdalj H. Application of a salt substitute in bitter taste suppression and toward better acceptance of cruciferous vegetables in diet. Appetite 2022; 173:105996. [PMID: 35276254 DOI: 10.1016/j.appet.2022.105996] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/24/2021] [Revised: 02/20/2022] [Accepted: 03/02/2022] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
The addition of table salt has been reported to enable better acceptance when consuming the least preferred vegetables belonging to the Cruciferae family. Considering the adverse effect of excessive table salt intake on incidence of hypertension and cardiovascular diseases, it is essential to explore an alternative healthier option for better acceptance and to encourage consumption of these vegetables. In this study, 261 adult participants were evaluated for their preferences toward basic tastes and food as well as sensory evaluation of a meal prepared from cruciferous vegetables with the addition of two different salts, sodium chloride and salt substitute containing a blend of potassium and sodium salts. A general questionnaire was used to assess taste and food preferences, while the Cruciferous Vegetable Food Frequency Questionnaire (CVFFQ) was used for vegetable intake assessment. The Labeled Magnitude Scale (LMS), Just About Right (JAR) scale, and several hedonic scales were used to determine taster status and sensory evaluation. The results show that a low concentration of the salt substitute did not impact bitterness suppression but did result in higher preference of the cruciferous vegetable meal. Although, subjects self-reported to have salty taste preferences were more sensitive to bitter taste, they did not perceive samples as less salty and less acceptable than subjects with lower sensitivity. The results show the necessity for further examination of the effectiveness of different concentrations of the assessed salt substitute in suppressing perceived bitterness of cruciferous vegetables and regarding their overall acceptance for inclusion in diets.
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Affiliation(s)
- Davorka Gajari
- Research and Development, Podravka Inc, Ante Starčevića 31, 48000, Koprivnica, Croatia.
| | - Ivana Rumbak
- Laboratory for Nutrition Science, Faculty of Food Technology and Biotechnology, University of Zagreb, Pierottijeva 6, 10000, Zagreb, Croatia
| | - Jasmina Ranilović
- Research and Development, Podravka Inc, Ante Starčevića 31, 48000, Koprivnica, Croatia
| | - Helena Tomić-Obrdalj
- Research and Development, Podravka Inc, Ante Starčevića 31, 48000, Koprivnica, Croatia
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14
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Kulichová I, Mouterde M, Mokhtar MG, Diallo I, Tříska P, Diallo YM, Hofmanová Z, Poloni ES, Černý V. Demographic history was a formative mechanism of the genetic structure for the taste receptor TAS2R16 in human populations inhabiting Africa's Sahel/Savannah Belt. AMERICAN JOURNAL OF BIOLOGICAL ANTHROPOLOGY 2022; 177:540-555. [PMID: 34846066 DOI: 10.1002/ajpa.24448] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/05/2021] [Revised: 10/05/2021] [Accepted: 11/03/2021] [Indexed: 11/12/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES Mode of subsistence is an important factor influencing dietary habits and the genetic structure of various populations through differential intensity of gene flow and selection pressures. Previous studies suggest that in Africa Taste 2 Receptor Member 16 (TAS2R16), which encodes the 7-transmembrane receptor protein for bitterness, might also be under positive selection pressure. METHODS However, since sampling coverage of populations was limited, we created a new TAS2R16 population dataset from across the African Sahel/Savannah belt representing various local populations of differing subsistence modes, linguistic affiliations, and geographic provenience. We sequenced the TAS2R16 exon gene and analyzed 2250 haplotypes among 19 populations. RESULTS We found no evidence for selection as a driving force of genetic variation at this locus; instead, we discovered a highly significant correlation between TAS2R16 genetic and geographical distances based on provenience of the sampled populations, strongly suggesting that genetic drift most likely prevailed over positive selection at this specific locus. We also found significant correlations with other independent loci, mainly in sedentary farmers. DISCUSSION Our results do not support the notion that the genetic diversity of TAS2R16 in Sahelian populations was shaped by selective pressures. This could result from several alternative and not mutually exclusive mechanisms, of which the possibility that, due to the pleiotropic nature of TAS2R16, selective pressures on other traits could counterbalance those acting on bitter taste perception, or that the change of diet in the Neolithic generally relaxed selective pressure on this gene.
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Affiliation(s)
- Iva Kulichová
- Archaeogenetics Laboratory, Institute of Archaeology of the Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic, Prague, Czech Republic.,Department of Anthropology and Human Genetics, Faculty of Science, Charles University, Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Médéric Mouterde
- Department of Genetics and Evolution, Anthropology Unit, University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Mohammed G Mokhtar
- Arabic Department, Faculty of Arts, University of Kordofan, Al-Ubayyid, Sudan
| | - Issa Diallo
- Département de Linguistique et Langues Nationales, Institut des Sciences des Sociétés, CNRST, Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso
| | - Petr Tříska
- Archaeogenetics Laboratory, Institute of Archaeology of the Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic, Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Yoro Mame Diallo
- Archaeogenetics Laboratory, Institute of Archaeology of the Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic, Prague, Czech Republic.,Department of Anthropology and Human Genetics, Faculty of Science, Charles University, Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Zuzana Hofmanová
- Department of Archaeogenetics, Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, Leipzig, Germany.,Department of Archaeology and Museology, Faculty of Arts, Masaryk University, Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Estella S Poloni
- Department of Genetics and Evolution, Anthropology Unit, University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland.,Institute of Genetics and Genomics of Geneva (iGE3), Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Viktor Černý
- Archaeogenetics Laboratory, Institute of Archaeology of the Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic, Prague, Czech Republic
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15
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Wooding SP, Ramirez VA, Behrens M. Bitter taste receptors: Genes, evolution and health. Evol Med Public Health 2022; 9:431-447. [PMID: 35154779 PMCID: PMC8830313 DOI: 10.1093/emph/eoab031] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/21/2021] [Accepted: 10/05/2021] [Indexed: 02/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Bitter taste perception plays vital roles in animal behavior and fitness. By signaling the presence of toxins in foods, particularly noxious defense compounds found in plants, it enables animals to avoid exposure. In vertebrates, bitter perception is initiated by TAS2Rs, a family of G protein-coupled receptors expressed on the surface of taste buds. There, oriented toward the interior of the mouth, they monitor the contents of foods, drinks and other substances as they are ingested. When bitter compounds are encountered, TAS2Rs respond by triggering neural pathways leading to sensation. The importance of this role placed TAS2Rs under selective pressures in the course of their evolution, leaving signatures in patterns of gene gain and loss, sequence polymorphism, and population structure consistent with vertebrates' diverse feeding ecologies. The protective value of bitter taste is reduced in modern humans because contemporary food supplies are safe and abundant. However, this is not always the case. Some crops, particularly in the developing world, retain surprisingly high toxicity and bitterness remains an important measure of safety. Bitter perception also shapes health through its influence on preference driven behaviors such as diet choice, alcohol intake and tobacco use. Further, allelic variation in TAS2Rs is extensive, leading to individual differences in taste sensitivity that drive these behaviors, shaping susceptibility to disease. Thus, bitter taste perception occupies a critical intersection between ancient evolutionary processes and modern human health.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stephen P Wooding
- Department of Anthropology and Health Sciences Research Institute, University of California, Merced, CA, USA
| | - Vicente A Ramirez
- Department of Public Health, University of California, Merced, CA, USA
| | - Maik Behrens
- Maik Behrens, Leibniz-Institute for Food Systems Biology at the Technical University of Munich, Freising, Germany
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16
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Combined influence of TAS2R38 genotype and PROP phenotype on the intensity of basic tastes, astringency and pungency in the Italian taste project. Food Qual Prefer 2022. [DOI: 10.1016/j.foodqual.2021.104361] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
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17
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Wooding SP, Ramirez VA. Worldwide diversity, association potential, and natural selection in the superimposed taste genes, CD36 and GNAT3. Chem Senses 2022; 47:6491270. [PMID: 34972209 DOI: 10.1093/chemse/bjab052] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
CD36 and GNAT3 mediate taste responses, with CD36 acting as a lipid detector and GNAT3 acting as the α subunit of gustducin, a G protein governing sweet, savory, and bitter transduction. Strikingly, the genes encoding CD36 and GNAT3 are genomically superimposed, with CD36 completely encompassing GNAT3. To characterize genetic variation across the CD36-GNAT3 region, its implications for phenotypic diversity, and its recent evolution, we analyzed from ~2,500 worldwide subjects sequenced by the 1000 Genomes Project (1000GP). CD36-GNAT3 harbored extensive diversity including 8,688 single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs), 414 indels, and other complex variants. Sliding window analyses revealed that nucleotide diversity and population differentiation across CD36-GNAT3 were consistent with genome-wide trends in the 1000GP (π = 0.10%, P = 0.64; FST = 9.0%, P = 0.57). In addition, functional predictions using SIFT and PolyPhen-2 identified 60 variants likely to alter protein function, and they were in weak linkage disequilibrium (r2 < 0.17), suggesting their effects are largely independent. However, the frequencies of predicted functional variants were low (P¯ = 0.0013), indicating their contributions to phenotypic variance on population scales are limited. Tests using Tajima's D statistic revealed that pressures from natural selection have been relaxed across most of CD36-GNAT3 during its recent history (0.39 < P < 0.67). However, CD36 exons showed signs of local adaptation consistent with prior reports (P < 0.035). Thus, CD36 and GNAT3 harbor numerous variants predicted to affect taste sensitivity, but most are rare and phenotypic variance on a population level is likely mediated by a small number of sites.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stephen P Wooding
- Department of Anthropology, University of California, Merced, Merced, CA, USA
| | - Vicente A Ramirez
- Department of Public Health, University of California, Merced, Merced, CA, USA
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18
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Feeney EL, McGuinness L, Hayes JE, Nolden AA. Genetic variation in sensation affects food liking and intake. Curr Opin Food Sci 2021. [DOI: 10.1016/j.cofs.2021.07.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/25/2022]
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19
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Nolden AA, McGeary JE, Hayes JE. Predominant Qualities Evoked by Quinine, Sucrose, and Capsaicin Associate With PROP Bitterness, but not TAS2R38 Genotype. Chem Senses 2021; 45:383-390. [PMID: 32382729 DOI: 10.1093/chemse/bjaa028] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Genetic variability in the ability to taste thiourea compounds has been studied for 80+ years. Over the last 3 decades, many studies have reported perceived intensity of concentrated propylthiouracil (PROP) associates with greater intensity from a broad range of stimuli, including nonbitter tastants, irritants, and retronasally delivered odorants. Thus, PROP phenotype has become a common measure of individual differences in orosensation. Much, but not all, of the phenotypic variation in PROP bitterness is explained by TAS2R38 polymorphisms. While differences in PROP bitterness are clearly due to genetic variation, mechanistically it is challenging to envision how this receptor (narrowly tuned to the N-C=S moiety) relates to overall orosensory response. Here, we report data for 200+ individuals who had been genotyped for TAS2R38 and phenotyped for PROP in a laboratory setting. Participants also reported the intensity of quinine, capsaicin, and sucrose on a general Labeled Magnitude Scale. Our data recapitulate earlier reports associating PROP bitterness with the intensity of the predominant qualities of sucrose, quinine, and capsaicin; however, we also find correlations between the intensities of sucrose, quinine, and capsaicin were much stronger with each other than with PROP. As expected, TAS2R38 diplotype did not associate with the intensity of sucrose, quinine, or capsaicin. The strength of PROP-capsaicin and PROP-sucrose relationships increased after grouping participants by TAS2R38 diplotype, with the greatest increases in association observed within homozygotes. Collectively, this suggests the suprathreshold intensity of PROP is a confounded phenotype that captures both genetic variation specific to N-C=S compounds and overall orosensation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alissa A Nolden
- Department of Food Science, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, MA, USA
| | - John E McGeary
- Providence Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Providence, RI, USA.,Division of Behavior Genetics, Rhode Island Hospital, Brown University, Providence, RI, USA.,Center for Alcohol and Addiction Studies, Brown University, Providence, RI, USA
| | - John E Hayes
- Sensory Evaluation Center, College of Agricultural Sciences, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, USA.,Department of Food Science, College of Agricultural Sciences, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802, USA
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20
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Association of single nucleotide polymorphisms with taste and food preferences of the Hungarian general and Roma populations. Appetite 2021; 164:105270. [PMID: 33930497 DOI: 10.1016/j.appet.2021.105270] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/05/2020] [Revised: 04/14/2021] [Accepted: 04/15/2021] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
It is reasonable to suppose that poor diet underlies the unfavorable health status of the Roma population of Europe. Previously in the framework of a complex health survey, fruit and vegetable consumption, quantity of sugar added, salting frequency; bitter, salty, sweet and fat taste preferences were evaluated of Hungarian (HG, n = 410) and Roma (HR, n = 387) populations. In the present study the associations of taste and food preferences with TAS1R3, CD36, SCNN1B, TRPV1, TAS2R38, TAS2R19 and CA6 polymorphisms were tested in the same samples. Genotype frequencies did not differ significantly between the two populations. Although we initially observed associations between certain genetic polymorphisms and taste and food preferences in our study samples, none of the p values remained significant after the multiple test correction. However, some of our results could be considered promising (0.05<corrected p < 0.20), which showed potential ethnicity-specific effects (CA6 rs2274333 with salty taste and raw kohlrabi preference, CD36 rs1527483 with fat taste preference, TAS2R19 rs10772420 with grapefruit preference, and TAS2R38 rs713598 with quantity of sugar added). Our results may suggest that genetics may mediate food preferences, and individuals with different ethnic background may require personalized interventions to modify diet. Further investigations with greater sample sizes are essential to explore the effect of these genetic variants on taste and food preferences.
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21
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Abstract
Despite widespread and persistent myths of a tongue map, all 5 prototypical taste qualities are sensed over the entire tongue. However, modern psychophysical data also suggest there may be more nuanced differences in suprathreshold intensity across oral loci, especially for bitterness. Here, we test whether bitter stimuli matched for whole-mouth intensity differ in perceived intensity across regions of the oral cavity in 2 experiments. Experiment 1 consisted of a whole-mouth sip and spit approach and Experiment 2 consisted of a spatial taste test using cotton swabs. In Experiment 1, participants (n = 63) rated overall intensity of 3 bitter solutions at 5 different loci (front, middle, back of tongue; roof of mouth; and lip). Temporal effects were explored using in-mouth and aftertaste ratings. In Experiment 2, participants (n = 48) rated the intensity of quinine and Tetralone solutions after solutions were painted on fungiform, circumvallate, and foliate papillae with a swab. After the spatial taste test, participants completed a questionnaire on self-reported beer intake. Analysis of variance results of both experiments show a significant locus by stimulus interaction, suggesting different bitterants were perceived differently across the various loci. This result was apparently driven by low-intensity ratings for Tetralone on the anterior tongue. Aftertaste ratings in Experiment 1 also revealed significant temporal effects: ratings on the anterior tongue decreased for all bitterants and ratings for quinine decreased at all loci. Reasons for these effects are not known but may suggest differential expression of bitter taste receptors or differences in bitter agonist-receptor binding affinity across tongue regions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Molly J Higgins
- Sensory Evaluation Center, College of Agricultural Sciences, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, USA.,Department of Food Science, College of Agricultural Sciences, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, USA
| | - John E Hayes
- Sensory Evaluation Center, College of Agricultural Sciences, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, USA.,Department of Food Science, College of Agricultural Sciences, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, USA
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22
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Higgins MJ, Hayes JE. Discrimination of Isointense Bitter Stimuli in a Beer Model System. Nutrients 2020; 12:nu12061560. [PMID: 32471227 PMCID: PMC7352581 DOI: 10.3390/nu12061560] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/14/2020] [Revised: 05/19/2020] [Accepted: 05/25/2020] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Prior work suggests humans can differentiate between bitter stimuli in water. Here, we describe three experiments that test whether beer consumers can discriminate between different bitterants in beer. In Experiment 1 (n = 51), stimuli were intensity matched; Experiments 2 and 3 were a difference from control (DFC)/check-all-that-apply (CATA) test (n = 62), and an affective test (n = 81). All used a commercial non-alcoholic beer spiked with Isolone (a hop extract), quinine sulfate dihydrate, and sucrose octaacetate (SOA). In Experiment 1, participants rated intensities on general labeled magnitude scales (gLMS), which were analyzed via ANOVA. In Experiment 2, participants rated how different samples were from a reference of Isolone on a 7-point DFC scale, and endorsed 13 attributes in a CATA task. DFC data were analyzed via ANOVA with Dunnett's test to compare differences relative to a blind reference, and CATA data were analyzed via Cochran's Q test. In Experiment 3, liking was assessed on labeled affective magnitude scales, and samples were also ranked. Liking was analyzed via ANOVA and rankings were analyzed with a Cochran-Mantel-Haenszel test. Experiment 1 confirmed that samples were isointense. In Experiment 2, despite being isointense, both quinine (p = 0.04) and SOA (p = 0.03) were different from Isolone, but no significant effects were found for CATA descriptors (all p values > 0.16). In Experiment 3, neither liking (p = 0.16) or ranking (p = 0.49) differed. Collectively, these data confirm that individuals can discriminate perceptually distinct bitter stimuli in beer, as shown previously in water, but these differences cannot be described semantically, and they do not seem to influence hedonic assessments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Molly J. Higgins
- Sensory Evaluation Center, College of Agricultural Sciences, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802, USA;
- Department of Food Science, College of Agricultural Sciences, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802, USA
| | - John E. Hayes
- Sensory Evaluation Center, College of Agricultural Sciences, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802, USA;
- Department of Food Science, College of Agricultural Sciences, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802, USA
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +1-814-863-7129
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23
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Purba LHPS, Widayati KA, Suzuki-Hashido N, Itoigawa A, Hayakawa T, Nila S, Juliandi B, Suryobroto B, Imai H. Evolution of the bitter taste receptor TAS2R38 in colobines. Primates 2020; 61:485-494. [PMID: 32006126 DOI: 10.1007/s10329-020-00799-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/08/2019] [Accepted: 01/21/2020] [Indexed: 01/08/2023]
Abstract
Bitter taste perception enables the detection of potentially toxic molecules and thus evokes avoidance behavior in vertebrates. It is mediated by bitter taste receptors, TAS2Rs. One of the best-studied TAS2R is TAS2R38. Phenylthiocarbamide (PTC) perception and TAS2R38 receptors vary across primate species, and this variation may be related to variation in dietary preferences. In particular, we previously found that the low sensitivity of TAS2R38s in Asian colobines likely evolved as an adaptation to their leaf-eating behavior. However, it remains unclear whether this low PTC sensitivity is a general characteristic of the subfamily Colobinae, a primate group that feeds predominantly on leaves. We performed genetic analyses, functional assays with mutant proteins, and behavioral analyses to evaluate the general characteristics of TAS2R38 in colobines. We found that PTC sensitivity is lower in TAS2R38s of African colobines than in TAS2R38s of omnivorous macaques. Furthermore, two amino acids shared between Asian and African colobines were responsible for low sensitivity to PTC, suggesting that the last common ancestor of extant colobines had this phenotype. We also detected amino acid differences between TAS2R38s in Asian and African colobines, indicating that they evolved independently after the separation of these groups.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Kanthi Arum Widayati
- Department of Biology, Bogor Agricultural University, Kampus IPB Darmaga, Bogor, 16680, Indonesia.
| | - Nami Suzuki-Hashido
- Academy of Emerging Sciences, Chubu University, 1200 Matsumoto-cho, Kasugai, Aichi, 487-8501, Japan.,Japan Society for the Promotion of Science, Kojimachi, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo, 102-0083, Japan
| | - Akihiro Itoigawa
- Japan Society for the Promotion of Science, Kojimachi, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo, 102-0083, Japan.,Molecular Biology Section, Department of Cellular and Molecular Biology, Primates Research Institute, Kyoto University, Inuyama, Aichi, 484-8506, Japan
| | - Takashi Hayakawa
- Faculty of Environmental Earth Science, Hokkaido University, N10W5, Kita-ku, Sapporo, Hokkaido, 060-0810, Japan.,Department of Wildlife Science (Nagoya Railroad Co., Ltd.), Primate Research Institute, Kyoto University, 41-2 Kanrin, Inuyama, Aichi, 484-8506, Japan.,Japan Monkey Centre, Inuyama, Aichi, 484-0081, Japan
| | - Sarah Nila
- Department of Biology, Bogor Agricultural University, Kampus IPB Darmaga, Bogor, 16680, Indonesia
| | - Berry Juliandi
- Department of Biology, Bogor Agricultural University, Kampus IPB Darmaga, Bogor, 16680, Indonesia
| | - Bambang Suryobroto
- Department of Biology, Bogor Agricultural University, Kampus IPB Darmaga, Bogor, 16680, Indonesia
| | - Hiroo Imai
- Molecular Biology Section, Department of Cellular and Molecular Biology, Primates Research Institute, Kyoto University, Inuyama, Aichi, 484-8506, Japan.
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24
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Nolden AA, Feeney EL. Genetic Differences in Taste Receptors: Implications for the Food Industry. Annu Rev Food Sci Technol 2020; 11:183-204. [PMID: 31922882 DOI: 10.1146/annurev-food-032519-051653] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
Inborn genetic differences in chemosensory receptors can lead to differences in perception and preference for foods and beverages. These differences can drive market segmentation for food products as well as contribute to nutritional status. This knowledge may be essential in the development of foods and beverages because the sensory profiles may not be experienced in the same way across individuals. Rather, distinct consumer groups may exist with different underlying genetic variations. Identifying genetic factors associated with individual variability can help better meet consumer needs through an enhanced understanding of perception and preferences. This review provides an overview of taste and chemesthetic sensations and their receptors, highlighting recent advances linking genetic variations in chemosensory genes to perception, food preference and intake, and health. With growing interest in personalized foods, this information is useful for both food product developers and nutrition health professionals alike.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alissa A Nolden
- Department of Food Science, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, Massachusetts 01003, USA;
| | - Emma L Feeney
- Institute of Food and Health, University College Dublin, Dublin 4, Ireland
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25
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Diószegi J, Llanaj E, Ádány R. Genetic Background of Taste Perception, Taste Preferences, and Its Nutritional Implications: A Systematic Review. Front Genet 2019; 10:1272. [PMID: 31921309 PMCID: PMC6930899 DOI: 10.3389/fgene.2019.01272] [Citation(s) in RCA: 78] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/01/2019] [Accepted: 11/19/2019] [Indexed: 01/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Background: The rise in nutrition-related morbidity and mortality requires public health intervention programs targeting nutritional behavior. In addition to socio-economical, socio-cultural, psychological determinants, taste is one of the main factors that influence food choices. Differences in taste perception and sensitivity may be explained by genetic variations, therefore the knowledge of the extent to which genetic factors influence the development of individual taste preferences and eating patterns is important for public policy actions addressing nutritional behaviors. Our aim was to review genetic polymorphisms accounting for variability in taste and food preferences to contribute to an improved understanding of development of taste and food preferences. Methods: The electronic databases PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science were searched using MeSH in PubMed and free text terms for articles published between January 1, 2000 and April 13, 2018. The search strategy was conducted following the PRISMA statement. The quality of the included studies was assessed by the validated Q-Genie tool. Results: Following the PRISMA flowchart, finally 103 articles were included in the review. Among the reviewed studies, 43 were rated to have good quality, 47 were rated to have moderate quality, and 13 were rated to have low quality. The majority of the studies assessed the association of genetic variants with the bitter taste modality, followed by articles analyzing the impact of polymorphisms on sweet and fat preferences. The number of studies investigating the association between umami, salty, and sour taste qualities and genetic polymorphisms was limited. Conclusions: Our findings suggest that a significant association exists between TAS2R38 variants (rs713598, rs1726866, rs10246939) and bitter and sweet taste preference. Other confirmed results are related to rs1761667 (CD36) and fat taste responsiveness. Otherwise further research is essential to confirm results of studies related to genetic variants and individual taste sensitivity. This knowledge may enhance our understanding of the development of individual taste and related food preferences and food choices that will aid the development of tailored public health strategy to reduce nutrition-related disease and morbidity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Judit Diószegi
- MTA-DE Public Health Research Group, Public Health Research Institute, University of Debrecen, Debrecen, Hungary
| | - Erand Llanaj
- Doctoral School of Health Sciences, University of Debrecen, Debrecen, Hungary
| | - Róza Ádány
- MTA-DE Public Health Research Group, Public Health Research Institute, University of Debrecen, Debrecen, Hungary.,Doctoral School of Health Sciences, University of Debrecen, Debrecen, Hungary.,WHO Collaborating Centre on Vulnerability and Health, University of Debrecen, Debrecen, Hungary
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26
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Reyes MM, Gravina SA, Hayes JE. Evaluation of Sweetener Synergy in Humans by Isobole Analyses. Chem Senses 2019; 44:571-582. [PMID: 31424498 DOI: 10.1093/chemse/bjz056] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
The chemical senses and pharmaceuticals fundamentally depend on similar biological processes, but novel molecule discovery has classically been approached from vastly different vantage points. From the perspective of ingredient and flavor companies, there are countless ingredients that act via largely unknown mechanisms, whereas the pharmaceutical industry has numerous mechanisms in search of novel compounds. Mixtures of agonists can result in synergistic (superadditive) responses, which can be quantified via isobole analysis, a well-proven clinical approach in pharmacology. For the food and beverage industries, bulk (caloric) sweeteners like sugars are a key ingredient in sweetened foods and beverages, but consumers also desire products with fewer calories, which has led to the development of sweet enhancers and sweetener blends intended to achieve synergy or superadditivity. Synergistic mixtures are highly attractive targets commercially as they enable lower usage levels and enhanced efficacy. Although the psychophysical literature contains numerous prior reports of sweetener synergy, others have also noted that classical additive models fail to account for nonlinear dose-response functions. To address this shortcoming, here we systematically apply the isobole method from pharmacology to quantify the presence or absence of psychophysical synergy for binary pairs of sweeteners in a series of 15 separate experiments, each with ~100 adult volunteers (total n = 1576). Generally, these data support the hypothesis that structurally similar sweeteners acting as agonists will not synergize, whereas structurally dissimilar sweeteners binding to overlapping or distal sites can act as allosteric agonists or agonist-antagonists, respectively.
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Affiliation(s)
- M Michelle Reyes
- Sensory Evaluation Center, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, USA.,Department of Food Science, College of Agricultural Sciences, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, USA
| | | | - John E Hayes
- Sensory Evaluation Center, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, USA.,Department of Food Science, College of Agricultural Sciences, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, USA
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27
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Behrens M, Meyerhof W. A role for taste receptors in (neuro)endocrinology? J Neuroendocrinol 2019; 31:e12691. [PMID: 30712315 DOI: 10.1111/jne.12691] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/31/2018] [Revised: 01/14/2019] [Accepted: 01/29/2019] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
The sense of taste is positioned at the forefront when it comes to the interaction of our body with foodborne chemicals. However, the role of our taste system, and in particular its associated taste receptors, is not limited to driving food preferences leading to ingestion or rejection before other organs take over responsibility for nutrient digestion, absorption and metabolic regulation. Taste sensory elements do much more. On the one hand, extra-oral taste receptors from the brain to the gut continue to sense nutrients and noxious substances after ingestion and, on the other hand, the nutritional state feeds back on the taste system. This intricate regulatory network is orchestrated by endocrine factors that are secreted in response to taste receptor signalling and, in turn regulate the taste receptor cells themselves. The present review summarises current knowledge on the endocrine regulation of the taste perceptual system and the release of hunger/satiety regulating factors by gastrointestinal taste receptors. Furthermore, the regulation of blood glucose levels via the activation of pancreatic sweet taste receptors and subsequent insulin secretion, as well as the influence of bitter compounds on thyroid hormone release, is addressed. Finally, the central effects of tastants are discussed briefly.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maik Behrens
- Leibniz-Institute for Food Systems Biology at the Technical University of Munich, Freising, Germany
| | - Wolfgang Meyerhof
- Center for Integrative Physiology and Molecular Medicine, Saarland University, Homburg, Germany
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28
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Dobon B, Rossell C, Walsh S, Bertranpetit J. Is there adaptation in the human genome for taste perception and phase I biotransformation? BMC Evol Biol 2019; 19:39. [PMID: 30704392 PMCID: PMC6357387 DOI: 10.1186/s12862-019-1366-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/10/2018] [Accepted: 01/17/2019] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Background During the modern human expansion, new environmental pressures may have driven adaptation, especially in genes related to the perception of ingested substances and their detoxification. Consequently, positive (adaptive) selection may have occurred in genes related to taste, and in those related to the CYP450 system due to its role in biotransformation of potentially toxic compounds. A total of 91 genes (taste receptors and CYP450 superfamily) have been studied using Hierarchical Boosting, a powerful combination of different selection tests, to detect signatures of recent positive selection in three continental human populations: Northern Europeans (CEU), East Asians (CHB) and Africans (YRI). Analyses have been refined with selection analyses of the 26 populations of 1000 Genomes Project Phase 3. Results Genes related to taste perception have not been positively selected in the three continental human populations. This finding suggests that, contrary to results of previous studies, different allele frequencies among populations in genes such as TAS2R38 and TAS2R16 are not due to positive selection but to genetic drift. CYP1 and CYP2 genes, also previously considered to be under positive selection, did not show signatures of selective sweeps. However, three genes belonging to the CYP450 system have been identified by the Hierarchical Boosting as positively selected: CYP3A4 and CYP3A43 in CEU, and CYP27A1 in CHB. Conclusions No main adaptive differences are found in known taste receptor genes among the three continental human populations studied. However, there are important genetic adaptations in the cytochrome P450 system related to the Out of Africa expansion of modern humans. We confirmed that CYP3A4 and CYP3A43 are under selection in CEU, and we report for the first time CYP27A1 to be under positive selection in CHB. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (10.1186/s12862-019-1366-7) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.
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Affiliation(s)
- Begoña Dobon
- Institut de Biologia Evolutiva (UPF-CSIC), Universitat Pompeu Fabra, Dr. Aiguader, 88. 08003, Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain
| | - Carla Rossell
- Department of Medical Biochemistry and Biophysics, Karolinska Institutet, Tomtebodavägen 23a, 17165, Stockholm, Solna, Sweden
| | - Sandra Walsh
- Institut de Biologia Evolutiva (UPF-CSIC), Universitat Pompeu Fabra, Dr. Aiguader, 88. 08003, Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain
| | - Jaume Bertranpetit
- Institut de Biologia Evolutiva (UPF-CSIC), Universitat Pompeu Fabra, Dr. Aiguader, 88. 08003, Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain.
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29
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30
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Tran HTT, Herz C, Ruf P, Stetter R, Lamy E. Human T2R38 Bitter Taste Receptor Expression in Resting and Activated Lymphocytes. Front Immunol 2018; 9:2949. [PMID: 30619309 PMCID: PMC6297872 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2018.02949] [Citation(s) in RCA: 55] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/08/2018] [Accepted: 11/30/2018] [Indexed: 12/02/2022] Open
Abstract
The human G-protein-coupled bitter taste receptor T2R38 has recently been demonstrated to be expressed on peripheral blood neutrophils, monocytes and lymphocytes. To further define a potential contribution of the T2R38 receptor in adaptive immune response, the objective of this study was to analyze its expression in resting and activated lymphocytes and T cell subpopulations. Freshly isolated PBMC from healthy donors were used for expression analysis by flow cytometry. Quantum™ MESF beads were applied for quantification in absolute fluorescence units. Activation methods of T cells were anti-CD3/CD28, phytohaemagglutinin (PHA) or phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate (PMA) together with ionomycin. Lymphocytes from young donors expressed higher levels of T2R38 compared to the elderly. CD3+ T cells expressed higher levels that CD19+ B cells. Receptor expression followed T cell activation with an upregulation within 24 h and a peak at 72 h. Higher levels of T2R38 were produced in lymphocytes by stimulation with anti-CD3/CD28 compared to PHA or PMA/ionomycin. Both subpopulations of CD4+ as well as CD8+ T cells were found to express the T2R38 receptor; this was higher in CD4+ than CD8+ cells; the amount of T2R38 in central and effector memory cells was higher as compared to naïve cells, although this was not statistically significant for CD8+ cells without prior activation by anti-CD3/CD28. Upon treatment of PBMC with the natural T2R38 agonist goitrin Calcium flux was activated in the lymphocyte population with functional T2R38 receptor at >20 μM which was completely blocked by phospholipase Cβ-2 inhibitor U73211. Further, goitrin selectively inhibited TNF-alpha secretion in PBMC with functional T2R38. This quantitative analysis of T2R38 expression in distinct PBMC subsets may provide a basis for understanding the significance of bitter compounds in immune modulation. Whether these findings can have implications for the treatment of inflammatory and immunologic disorders by bitter tasting pharmaceuticals or foods needs further investigation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hoai T T Tran
- Molecular Preventive Medicine, Institute for Infection Prevention and Hospital Epidemiology, University Medical Center and Faculty of Medicine, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany.,Pharmaceutical Bioinformatics, Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Albert-Ludwigs-University, Freiburg, Germany
| | - Corinna Herz
- Molecular Preventive Medicine, Institute for Infection Prevention and Hospital Epidemiology, University Medical Center and Faculty of Medicine, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany
| | - Patrick Ruf
- Molecular Preventive Medicine, Institute for Infection Prevention and Hospital Epidemiology, University Medical Center and Faculty of Medicine, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany
| | - Rebecca Stetter
- Molecular Preventive Medicine, Institute for Infection Prevention and Hospital Epidemiology, University Medical Center and Faculty of Medicine, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany
| | - Evelyn Lamy
- Molecular Preventive Medicine, Institute for Infection Prevention and Hospital Epidemiology, University Medical Center and Faculty of Medicine, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany
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31
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Kwon OS, Song HS, Park TH, Jang J. Conducting Nanomaterial Sensor Using Natural Receptors. Chem Rev 2018; 119:36-93. [DOI: 10.1021/acs.chemrev.8b00159] [Citation(s) in RCA: 113] [Impact Index Per Article: 18.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Oh Seok Kwon
- Bionanotechnology Research Center, Korea Research Institute of Bioscience and Biotechnology, Daejeon 34141, Republic of Korea
- Nanobiotechnology and Bioinformatics (Major), University of Science & Technology (UST), Daejon 34141, Republic of Korea
| | - Hyun Seok Song
- Sensor System Research Center, Korea Institute of Science and Technology, Seoul 02792, Republic of Korea
- Division of Bioconvergence Analysis, Korea Basic Science Institute (KBSI), Cheongju 28119, Republic of Korea
- Center for Convergent Research of Emerging Virus Infection, Korea Research Institute of Chemical Technology, Daejeon 34114, Republic of Korea
| | - Tai Hyun Park
- School of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Seoul National University, Seoul 08826, Republic of Korea
| | - Jyongsik Jang
- School of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Seoul National University, Seoul 08826, Republic of Korea
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32
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Lambert JD, VanDusen SR, Cockroft JE, Smith EC, Greenwood DC, Cade JE. Bitter taste sensitivity, food intake, and risk of malignant cancer in the UK Women’s Cohort Study. Eur J Nutr 2018; 58:2111-2121. [DOI: 10.1007/s00394-018-1772-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/31/2018] [Accepted: 06/28/2018] [Indexed: 02/02/2023]
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A Review of the Benefits of Nature Experiences: More Than Meets the Eye. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2017; 14:ijerph14080864. [PMID: 28763021 PMCID: PMC5580568 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph14080864] [Citation(s) in RCA: 98] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/01/2017] [Revised: 07/24/2017] [Accepted: 07/26/2017] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Evidence that experiences of nature can benefit people has accumulated rapidly. Yet perhaps because of the domination of the visual sense in humans, most research has focused on the visual aspects of nature experiences. However, humans are multisensory, and it seems likely that many benefits are delivered through the non-visual senses and these are potentially avenues through which a physiological mechanism could occur. Here we review the evidence around these lesser studied sensory pathways—through sound, smell, taste, touch, and three non-sensory pathways. Natural sounds and smells underpin experiences of nature for many people, and this may well be rooted in evolutionary psychology. Tactile experiences of nature, particularly beyond animal petting, are understudied yet potentially fundamentally important. Tastes of nature, through growing and consuming natural foods, have been linked with a range of health and well-being benefits. Beyond the five senses, evidence is emerging for other non-visual pathways for nature experiences to be effective. These include ingestion or inhalation of phytoncides, negative air ions and microbes. We conclude that (i) these non-visual avenues are potentially important for delivering benefits from nature experiences; (ii) the evidence base is relatively weak and often based on correlational studies; and (iii) deeper exploration of these sensory and non-sensory avenues is needed.
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34
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Hayes JE, Johnson SL. Sensory Aspects of Bitter and Sweet Tastes During Early Childhood. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2017. [DOI: 10.1097/nt.0000000000000201] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
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35
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Purba LHPS, Widayati KA, Tsutsui K, Suzuki-Hashido N, Hayakawa T, Nila S, Suryobroto B, Imai H. Functional characterization of the TAS2R38 bitter taste receptor for phenylthiocarbamide in colobine monkeys. Biol Lett 2017; 13:20160834. [PMID: 28123110 PMCID: PMC5310586 DOI: 10.1098/rsbl.2016.0834] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/23/2016] [Accepted: 01/01/2017] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Bitterness perception in mammals is mostly directed at natural toxins that induce innate avoidance behaviours. Bitter taste is mediated by the G protein-coupled receptor TAS2R, which is located in taste cell membranes. One of the best-studied bitter taste receptors is TAS2R38, which recognizes phenylthiocarbamide (PTC). Here we investigate the sensitivities of TAS2R38 receptors to PTC in four species of leaf-eating monkeys (subfamily Colobinae). Compared with macaque monkeys (subfamily Cercopithecinae), colobines have lower sensitivities to PTC in behavioural and in vitro functional analyses. We identified four non-synonymous mutations in colobine TAS2R38 that are responsible for the decreased sensitivity of the TAS2R38 receptor to PTC observed in colobines compared with macaques. These results suggest that tolerance to bitterness in colobines evolved from an ancestor that was sensitive to bitterness as an adaptation to eating leaves.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Kanthi Arum Widayati
- Department of Biology, Bogor Agricultural University, West Java 16680, Indonesia
| | - Kei Tsutsui
- Molecular Biology Section, Department of Cellular and Molecular Biology, Primate Research Institute, Kyoto University, Inuyama, Aichi 484-8506, Japan
| | - Nami Suzuki-Hashido
- Molecular Biology Section, Department of Cellular and Molecular Biology, Primate Research Institute, Kyoto University, Inuyama, Aichi 484-8506, Japan
| | - Takashi Hayakawa
- Molecular Biology Section, Department of Cellular and Molecular Biology, Primate Research Institute, Kyoto University, Inuyama, Aichi 484-8506, Japan
| | - Sarah Nila
- Department of Biology, Bogor Agricultural University, West Java 16680, Indonesia
| | - Bambang Suryobroto
- Department of Biology, Bogor Agricultural University, West Java 16680, Indonesia
| | - Hiroo Imai
- Molecular Biology Section, Department of Cellular and Molecular Biology, Primate Research Institute, Kyoto University, Inuyama, Aichi 484-8506, Japan
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36
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Son M, Kim D, Ko HJ, Hong S, Park TH. A portable and multiplexed bioelectronic sensor using human olfactory and taste receptors. Biosens Bioelectron 2017; 87:901-907. [DOI: 10.1016/j.bios.2016.09.040] [Citation(s) in RCA: 70] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/07/2016] [Revised: 08/30/2016] [Accepted: 09/10/2016] [Indexed: 01/28/2023]
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37
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Acceptability, Safety, and Efficacy of Oral Administration of Extracts of Black or Red Maca (Lepidium meyenii) in Adult Human Subjects: A Randomized, Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled Study. Pharmaceuticals (Basel) 2016; 9:ph9030049. [PMID: 27548190 PMCID: PMC5039502 DOI: 10.3390/ph9030049] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/30/2016] [Revised: 08/08/2016] [Accepted: 08/08/2016] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The plant maca, grown at 4000 m altitude in the Peruvian Central Andes, contains hypocotyls that have been used as food and in traditional medicine for centuries. The aim of this research was to provide results on some health effects of oral administration of spray-dried extracts of black or red maca (Lepidium meyenii) in adult human subjects living at low (LA) and high altitude (HA). A total of 175 participants were given 3 g of either placebo, black, or red maca extract daily for 12 weeks. Primary outcomes were changes in sexual desire, mood, energy, health-related quality of life score (HRQL), and chronic mountain sickness (CMS) score, or in glycaemia, blood pressure, and hemoglobin levels. Secondary outcomes were acceptability and safety, assessed using the Likert test and side effect self-recording, respectively, and the effect of altitude. At low altitude, 32, 30, and 32 participants started the study receiving placebo, red maca, or black maca, respectively. At high altitudes, 33, 35, and 31 participants started the study receiving placebo, red maca, and black maca, respectively. Consumption of spray-dried extracts of red and black maca resulted in improvement in mood, energy, and health status, and reduced CMS score. Fatty acids and macamides were higher in spray-dried extracts of black maca than in red maca. GABA predominated in spray-dried extracts of red maca. Effects on mood, energy, and CMS score were better with red maca. Black maca and, in smaller proportions, red maca reduced hemoglobin levels only in highlanders with abnormally high hemoglobin levels; neither variety of maca reduced hemoglobin levels in lowlanders. Black maca reduced blood glucose levels. Both varieties produced similar responses in mood, and HRQL score. Maca extracts consumed at LA or HA had good acceptability and did not show serious adverse effects. In conclusion, maca extract consumption relative to the placebo improved quality of life parameters. Differences in the level of improvement between red and black maca are probably due to differences in the composition of these two plant varieties. Both maca extracts were well tolerated and safe.
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Ortega FJ, Agüera Z, Sabater M, Moreno-Navarrete JM, Alonso-Ledesma I, Xifra G, Botas P, Delgado E, Jimenez-Murcia S, Fernández-García JC, Tinahones FJ, Baños RM, Botella C, de la Torre R, Frühbeck G, Rodrigüez A, Estivill X, Casanueva F, Ricart W, Fernández-Aranda F, Fernández-Real JM. Genetic variations of the bitter taste receptor TAS2R38 are associated with obesity and impact on single immune traits. Mol Nutr Food Res 2016; 60:1673-83. [PMID: 27059147 DOI: 10.1002/mnfr.201500804] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/13/2015] [Revised: 02/22/2016] [Accepted: 02/22/2016] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
SCOPE Changes in genetic variations affecting the taste receptor, type 2, member 38 (TAS2R38) may identify the interacting mechanism leading to obesity and potential associations with proteins partaking in innate immunity, such as surfactant protein D (SPD) and mannan-binding lectin (MBL). METHODS AND RESULTS We evaluated haplotypes of the bitter-taste receptor TAS2R38 in an identification sample of 210 women in different weight conditions, including anorexia nervosa and obesity. The association with SPD and MBL was tested in an independent sample picturing general population (n = 534). The relationship with obesity was validated in an extended final sample of 1319 participants. In the sample comprised of women in extreme weight conditions, increased obesity was identified in AVI/AVI subjects (OR = 2.5 [1.06-6.11], p = 0.035). In the sample picturing general population, increased SPD and MBL concentrations were found in nonsmoking AVI carriers. In this cohort, smoking and obesity blunted associations between TAS2R38 haplotypes and SPD and MBL. In the extended sample, the association of AVI/AVI haplotypes with increased obesity was also identified (OR = 1.4 [0.99/1.85], p = 0.049), being more robust in subjects aged <40 years (OR = 1.9 [1.06/3.42], p = 0.031). CONCLUSION Current data reinforce the impact of TAS2R38 gene on phenotypic and clinical outputs affecting obesity, showing significant associations with extreme weight conditions (i.e., obesity and anorexia nervosa), and changes in both olfactory capacity and immune traits.
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Affiliation(s)
- Francisco J Ortega
- CIBER de la Fisiopatología de la Obesidad y la Nutrición (CIBEROBN), and Instituto de Salud Carlos III (ISCIII), Madrid, Spain.,Service of Diabetes, Endocrinology and Nutrition (UDEN), and Institut d'Investigació Biomédica de Girona (IdIBGi), Girona, Spain
| | - Zaida Agüera
- CIBER de la Fisiopatología de la Obesidad y la Nutrición (CIBEROBN), and Instituto de Salud Carlos III (ISCIII), Madrid, Spain.,Department of Psychiatry, University Hospital of Bellvitge (IDIBELL), and Department of Clinical Sciences, School of Medicine, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Mònica Sabater
- CIBER de la Fisiopatología de la Obesidad y la Nutrición (CIBEROBN), and Instituto de Salud Carlos III (ISCIII), Madrid, Spain.,Service of Diabetes, Endocrinology and Nutrition (UDEN), and Institut d'Investigació Biomédica de Girona (IdIBGi), Girona, Spain
| | - José M Moreno-Navarrete
- CIBER de la Fisiopatología de la Obesidad y la Nutrición (CIBEROBN), and Instituto de Salud Carlos III (ISCIII), Madrid, Spain.,Service of Diabetes, Endocrinology and Nutrition (UDEN), and Institut d'Investigació Biomédica de Girona (IdIBGi), Girona, Spain
| | - Isabel Alonso-Ledesma
- CIBER de la Fisiopatología de la Obesidad y la Nutrición (CIBEROBN), and Instituto de Salud Carlos III (ISCIII), Madrid, Spain.,Service of Diabetes, Endocrinology and Nutrition (UDEN), and Institut d'Investigació Biomédica de Girona (IdIBGi), Girona, Spain
| | - Gemma Xifra
- Service of Diabetes, Endocrinology and Nutrition (UDEN), and Institut d'Investigació Biomédica de Girona (IdIBGi), Girona, Spain
| | | | | | - Susana Jimenez-Murcia
- CIBER de la Fisiopatología de la Obesidad y la Nutrición (CIBEROBN), and Instituto de Salud Carlos III (ISCIII), Madrid, Spain.,Department of Psychiatry, University Hospital of Bellvitge (IDIBELL), and Department of Clinical Sciences, School of Medicine, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
| | - José C Fernández-García
- CIBER de la Fisiopatología de la Obesidad y la Nutrición (CIBEROBN), and Instituto de Salud Carlos III (ISCIII), Madrid, Spain.,Department of Diabetes, Endocrinology and Nutrition, Hospital Clínico Universitario Virgen de Victoria, Málaga, Spain
| | - Francisco J Tinahones
- CIBER de la Fisiopatología de la Obesidad y la Nutrición (CIBEROBN), and Instituto de Salud Carlos III (ISCIII), Madrid, Spain.,Department of Diabetes, Endocrinology and Nutrition, Hospital Clínico Universitario Virgen de Victoria, Málaga, Spain
| | - Rosa M Baños
- CIBER de la Fisiopatología de la Obesidad y la Nutrición (CIBEROBN), and Instituto de Salud Carlos III (ISCIII), Madrid, Spain.,Department of Psychological, Personality, Evaluation and Treatment, University of Valencia, Valencia, Spain
| | - Cristina Botella
- CIBER de la Fisiopatología de la Obesidad y la Nutrición (CIBEROBN), and Instituto de Salud Carlos III (ISCIII), Madrid, Spain.,Department of Basic Psychology, Clinic and Psychobiology, University Jaume I, Castelló, Spain
| | - Rafael de la Torre
- CIBER de la Fisiopatología de la Obesidad y la Nutrición (CIBEROBN), and Instituto de Salud Carlos III (ISCIII), Madrid, Spain.,Department of Pharmacology, School of Medicine, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain.,Human Pharmacology and Clinical Neurosciences Research Group, Neuroscience Research Program, IMIM (Hospital del Mar Medical Research Institute), Barcelona, Spain
| | - Gema Frühbeck
- CIBER de la Fisiopatología de la Obesidad y la Nutrición (CIBEROBN), and Instituto de Salud Carlos III (ISCIII), Madrid, Spain.,Department of Endocrinology and Nutrition, Clínica Universidad de Navarra, University of Navarra, Pamplona, Spain
| | - Amaia Rodrigüez
- CIBER de la Fisiopatología de la Obesidad y la Nutrición (CIBEROBN), and Instituto de Salud Carlos III (ISCIII), Madrid, Spain.,Department of Endocrinology and Nutrition, Clínica Universidad de Navarra, University of Navarra, Pamplona, Spain
| | - Xavier Estivill
- Center for Genomic Regulation (CRG) and CIBER de Epidemiología y Salud Pública (CIBERESP), Barcelona, Spain
| | - Felipe Casanueva
- CIBER de la Fisiopatología de la Obesidad y la Nutrición (CIBEROBN), and Instituto de Salud Carlos III (ISCIII), Madrid, Spain.,Endocrine Division, Complejo Hospitalario U. de Santiago, Santiago de Compostela University, Santiago de Compostela, Spain
| | - Wifredo Ricart
- CIBER de la Fisiopatología de la Obesidad y la Nutrición (CIBEROBN), and Instituto de Salud Carlos III (ISCIII), Madrid, Spain.,Service of Diabetes, Endocrinology and Nutrition (UDEN), and Institut d'Investigació Biomédica de Girona (IdIBGi), Girona, Spain
| | - Fernando Fernández-Aranda
- CIBER de la Fisiopatología de la Obesidad y la Nutrición (CIBEROBN), and Instituto de Salud Carlos III (ISCIII), Madrid, Spain.,Department of Psychiatry, University Hospital of Bellvitge (IDIBELL), and Department of Clinical Sciences, School of Medicine, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
| | - José M Fernández-Real
- CIBER de la Fisiopatología de la Obesidad y la Nutrición (CIBEROBN), and Instituto de Salud Carlos III (ISCIII), Madrid, Spain.,Service of Diabetes, Endocrinology and Nutrition (UDEN), and Institut d'Investigació Biomédica de Girona (IdIBGi), Girona, Spain
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Global diversity in the TAS2R38 bitter taste receptor: revisiting a classic evolutionary PROPosal. Sci Rep 2016; 6:25506. [PMID: 27138342 PMCID: PMC4853779 DOI: 10.1038/srep25506] [Citation(s) in RCA: 56] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/31/2015] [Accepted: 04/18/2016] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
The ability to taste phenylthiocarbamide (PTC) and 6-n-propylthiouracil (PROP) is a polymorphic trait mediated by the TAS2R38 bitter taste receptor gene. It has long been hypothesized that global genetic diversity at this locus evolved under pervasive pressures from balancing natural selection. However, recent high-resolution population genetic studies of TAS2Rs suggest that demographic events have played a critical role in the evolution of these genes. We here utilized the largest TAS2R38 database yet analyzed, consisting of 5,589 individuals from 105 populations, to examine natural selection, haplotype frequencies and linkage disequilibrium to estimate the effects of both selection and demography on contemporary patterns of variation at this locus. We found signs of an ancient balancing selection acting on this gene but no post Out-Of-Africa departures from neutrality, implying that the current observed patterns of variation can be predominantly explained by demographic, rather than selective events. In addition, we found signatures of ancient selective forces acting on different African TAS2R38 haplotypes. Collectively our results provide evidence for a relaxation of recent selective forces acting on this gene and a revised hypothesis for the origins of the present-day worldwide distribution of TAS2R38 haplotypes.
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40
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Keller KL, Adise S. Variation in the Ability to Taste Bitter Thiourea Compounds: Implications for Food Acceptance, Dietary Intake, and Obesity Risk in Children. Annu Rev Nutr 2016; 36:157-82. [PMID: 27070900 DOI: 10.1146/annurev-nutr-071715-050916] [Citation(s) in RCA: 57] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
The ability to taste bitter thiourea compounds, such as phenylthiocarbamide (PTC) and 6-n-propylthiouracil (PROP), is inherited. Polymorphisms in the bitter-taste receptor TAS2R38 explain the majority of phenotypic variation in the PROP phenotype. It has been hypothesized that the PROP phenotype is a marker for perception of a variety of chemosensory experiences. In this review, we discuss studies that have investigated the relationship between bitter-taste response and dietary behaviors and chronic health in children. Investigators have hypothesized that children who are PROP tasters have lower liking and consumption of bitter foods, such as cruciferous vegetables. Additionally, several studies suggest that children who are unable to taste PROP (i.e., nontasters) like and consume more dietary fat and are prone to obesity. The relationship between the PROP phenotype and obesity is influenced by multiple confounders, including sex, food access, ethnicity, and socioeconomic status. Future studies that adjust for these variables are needed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kathleen L Keller
- Department of Nutritional Sciences, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, Pennsylvania 16802; .,Department of Food Science, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, Pennsylvania 16802
| | - Shana Adise
- Department of Nutritional Sciences, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, Pennsylvania 16802;
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41
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Nolden AA, McGeary JE, Hayes JE. Differential bitterness in capsaicin, piperine, and ethanol associates with polymorphisms in multiple bitter taste receptor genes. Physiol Behav 2016; 156:117-27. [PMID: 26785164 PMCID: PMC4898060 DOI: 10.1016/j.physbeh.2016.01.017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 46] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/19/2015] [Revised: 01/11/2016] [Accepted: 01/14/2016] [Indexed: 02/01/2023]
Abstract
To date, the majority of research exploring associations with genetic variability in bitter taste receptors has understandably focused on compounds and foods that are predominantly or solely perceived as bitter. However, other chemosensory stimuli are also known to elicit bitterness as a secondary sensation. Here we investigated whether TAS2R variation explains individual differences in bitterness elicited by chemesthetic stimuli, including capsaicin, piperine and ethanol. We confirmed that capsaicin, piperine and ethanol elicit bitterness in addition to burning/stinging sensations. Variability in perceived bitterness of capsaicin and ethanol were significantly associated with TAS2R38 and TAS2R3/4/5 diplotypes. For TAS2R38, PAV homozygotes perceived greater bitterness from capsaicin and ethanol presented on circumvallate papillae, compared to heterozygotes and AVI homozygotes. For TAS2R3/4/5, CCCAGT homozygotes rated the greatest bitterness, compared to heterozygotes and TTGGAG homozygotes, for both ethanol and capsaicin when presented on circumvallate papillae. Additional work is needed to determine how these and other chemesthetic stimuli differ in bitterness perception across concentrations and presentation methods. Furthermore, it would be beneficial to determine which TAS2R receptors are activated in vitro by chemesthetic compounds.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alissa A Nolden
- Sensory Evaluation Center, College of Agricultural Sciences, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, USA; Department of Food Science, College of Agricultural Sciences, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, USA
| | - John E McGeary
- Providence Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Providence, RI, USA; Division of Behavior Genetics, Rhode Island Hospital, Brown University, Providence, RI, USA; Center for Alcohol and Addiction Studies, Brown University, Providence, RI, USA
| | - John E Hayes
- Sensory Evaluation Center, College of Agricultural Sciences, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, USA; Department of Food Science, College of Agricultural Sciences, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, USA.
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42
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Roudnitzky N, Behrens M, Engel A, Kohl S, Thalmann S, Hübner S, Lossow K, Wooding SP, Meyerhof W. Receptor Polymorphism and Genomic Structure Interact to Shape Bitter Taste Perception. PLoS Genet 2015; 11:e1005530. [PMID: 26406243 PMCID: PMC4583475 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pgen.1005530] [Citation(s) in RCA: 41] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/20/2015] [Accepted: 08/25/2015] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
The ability to taste bitterness evolved to safeguard most animals, including humans, against potentially toxic substances, thereby leading to food rejection. Nonetheless, bitter perception is subject to individual variations due to the presence of genetic functional polymorphisms in bitter taste receptor (TAS2R) genes, such as the long-known association between genetic polymorphisms in TAS2R38 and bitter taste perception of phenylthiocarbamide. Yet, due to overlaps in specificities across receptors, such associations with a single TAS2R locus are uncommon. Therefore, to investigate more complex associations, we examined taste responses to six structurally diverse compounds (absinthin, amarogentin, cascarillin, grosheimin, quassin, and quinine) in a sample of the Caucasian population. By sequencing all bitter receptor loci, inferring long-range haplotypes, mapping their effects on phenotype variation, and characterizing functionally causal allelic variants, we deciphered at the molecular level how a subjects’ genotype for the whole-family of TAS2R genes shapes variation in bitter taste perception. Within each haplotype block implicated in phenotypic variation, we provided evidence for at least one locus harboring functional polymorphic alleles, e.g. one locus for sensitivity to amarogentin, one of the most bitter natural compounds known, and two loci for sensitivity to grosheimin, one of the bitter compounds of artichoke. Our analyses revealed also, besides simple associations, complex associations of bitterness sensitivity across TAS2R loci. Indeed, even if several putative loci harbored both high- and low-sensitivity alleles, phenotypic variation depended on linkage between these alleles. When sensitive alleles for bitter compounds were maintained in the same linkage phase, genetically driven perceptual differences were obvious, e.g. for grosheimin. On the contrary, when sensitive alleles were in opposite phase, only weak genotype-phenotype associations were seen, e.g. for absinthin, the bitter principle of the beverage absinth. These findings illustrate the extent to which genetic influences on taste are complex, yet arise from both receptor activation patterns and linkage structure among receptor genes. Human bitter taste is believed to protect us from the ingestion of poisonous substances, thereby shaping food rejections. Bitter perception differs, however, across individuals, due to genetic variations in the ~25 bitter taste receptor (TAS2R) genes. A famous example known since the 1930s is the inherited bitter taste sensitivity to phenylthiocarbamide, which is associated with genetic polymorphisms in a single TAS2R gene. Yet, such simple receptor-substance associations do not reflect the full complexity of bitter perception, since individual bitter substances frequently activate several TAS2Rs. Here, we provide an in-depth analysis of the genetic variability influencing human bitter taste. While each study subject carried a different set of genetic polymorphisms, we found that most variations reside in just six blocks, each harboring only one to five haplotypes. Thus, besides simple associations between taste and TAS2R gene polymorphisms, we revealed complex associations dependent on linkage between several high- and low-sensitivity alleles. Indeed, subjects carried either sensitive or insensitive alleles for receptors sensitive to grosheimin, a bitter compound in artichoke, or at least one sensitive allele for receptors specific for absinthin, the bitter principle of absinth. In short, simple associations and complex genomic linkage determine sensitivity to selected dietary bitter compounds.
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Affiliation(s)
- Natacha Roudnitzky
- German Institute of Human Nutrition Potsdam-Rehbruecke, Department of Molecular Genetics, Nuthetal, Germany
| | - Maik Behrens
- German Institute of Human Nutrition Potsdam-Rehbruecke, Department of Molecular Genetics, Nuthetal, Germany
| | - Anika Engel
- German Institute of Human Nutrition Potsdam-Rehbruecke, Department of Molecular Genetics, Nuthetal, Germany
| | - Susann Kohl
- German Institute of Human Nutrition Potsdam-Rehbruecke, Department of Molecular Genetics, Nuthetal, Germany
| | - Sophie Thalmann
- German Institute of Human Nutrition Potsdam-Rehbruecke, Department of Molecular Genetics, Nuthetal, Germany
| | - Sandra Hübner
- German Institute of Human Nutrition Potsdam-Rehbruecke, Department of Molecular Genetics, Nuthetal, Germany
| | - Kristina Lossow
- German Institute of Human Nutrition Potsdam-Rehbruecke, Department of Molecular Genetics, Nuthetal, Germany
| | - Stephen P. Wooding
- Health Sciences Research Institute, University of California, Merced, California, United States of America
| | - Wolfgang Meyerhof
- German Institute of Human Nutrition Potsdam-Rehbruecke, Department of Molecular Genetics, Nuthetal, Germany
- * E-mail:
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Suzuki-Hashido N, Hayakawa T, Matsui A, Go Y, Ishimaru Y, Misaka T, Abe K, Hirai H, Satta Y, Imai H. Rapid Expansion of Phenylthiocarbamide Non-Tasters among Japanese Macaques. PLoS One 2015. [PMID: 26201026 PMCID: PMC4511751 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0132016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Bitter taste receptors (TAS2R proteins) allow mammals to detect and avoid ingestion of toxins in food. Thus, TAS2Rs play an important role in food choice and are subject to complex natural selection pressures. In our previous study, we examined nucleotide variation in TAS2R38, a gene expressing bitter taste receptor for phenylthiocarbamide (PTC), in 333 Japanese macaques (Macaca fuscata) from 9 local populations in Japan. We identified a PTC “non-taster” TAS2R38 allele in Japanese macaques that was caused by a loss of the start codon. This PTC non-taster allele was only found in a limited local population (the Kii area), at a frequency of 29%. In this study, we confirmed that this allele was present in only the Kii population by analyzing an additional 264 individuals from eight new populations. Using cellular and behavioral experiments, we found that this allele lost its receptor function for perceiving PTC. The nucleotide sequences of the allele including flanking regions (of about 10 kb) from 23 chromosomes were identical, suggesting that a non-taster allele arose and expanded in the Kii population during the last 13,000 years. Genetic analyses of non-coding regions in Kii individuals and neighboring populations indicated that the high allele frequency in the Kii population could not be explained by demographic history, suggesting that positive selection resulted in a rapid increase in PTC non-tasters in the Kii population. The loss-of-function that occurred at the TAS2R38 locus presumably provided a fitness advantage to Japanese macaques in the Kii population. Because TAS2R38 ligands are often found in plants, this functional change in fitness is perhaps related to feeding habit specificity. These findings should provide valuable insights for elucidating adaptive evolutionary changes with respect to various environments in wild mammals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nami Suzuki-Hashido
- Molecular Biology Section, Department of Cellular and Molecular Biology, Primate Research Institute, Kyoto University, Inuyama, Aichi, Japan
- Japan Society for the Promotion of Science, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Takashi Hayakawa
- Molecular Biology Section, Department of Cellular and Molecular Biology, Primate Research Institute, Kyoto University, Inuyama, Aichi, Japan
- Japan Society for the Promotion of Science, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Atsushi Matsui
- Molecular Biology Section, Department of Cellular and Molecular Biology, Primate Research Institute, Kyoto University, Inuyama, Aichi, Japan
| | - Yasuhiro Go
- Molecular Biology Section, Department of Cellular and Molecular Biology, Primate Research Institute, Kyoto University, Inuyama, Aichi, Japan
| | - Yoshiro Ishimaru
- Graduate School of Agricultural and Life Sciences, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Takumi Misaka
- Graduate School of Agricultural and Life Sciences, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Keiko Abe
- Graduate School of Agricultural and Life Sciences, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Hirohisa Hirai
- Molecular Biology Section, Department of Cellular and Molecular Biology, Primate Research Institute, Kyoto University, Inuyama, Aichi, Japan
| | - Yoko Satta
- Department of Evolutionary Studies of Biosystems, The Graduate University for Advanced Studies (Sokendai), Hayama, Kanagawa, Japan
- * E-mail: (YS); (HI)
| | - Hiroo Imai
- Department of Evolutionary Studies of Biosystems, The Graduate University for Advanced Studies (Sokendai), Hayama, Kanagawa, Japan
- * E-mail: (YS); (HI)
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44
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Beckett EL, Martin C, Yates Z, Veysey M, Duesing K, Lucock M. Bitter taste genetics--the relationship to tasting, liking, consumption and health. Food Funct 2015; 5:3040-54. [PMID: 25286017 DOI: 10.1039/c4fo00539b] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/26/2023]
Abstract
Bitter is the most complex of human tastes, and is arguably the most important. Aversion to bitter taste is important for detecting toxic compounds in food; however, many beneficial nutrients also taste bitter and these may therefore also be avoided as a consequence of bitter taste. While many polymorphisms in TAS2R genes may result in phenotypic differences that influence the range and sensitivity of bitter compounds detected, the full extent to which individuals differ in their abilities to detect bitter compounds remains unknown. Simple logic suggests that taste phenotypes influence food preferences, intake and consequently health status. However, it is becoming clear that genetics only plays a partial role in predicting preference, intake and health outcomes, and the complex, pleiotropic relationships involved are yet to be fully elucidated.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emma L Beckett
- School of Environmental and Life Sciences, University of Newcastle, Brush Rd, Ourimbah, NSW 2258, Australia.
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45
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Oncken C, Feinn R, Covault J, Duffy V, Dornelas E, Kranzler HR, Sankey HZ. Genetic Vulnerability to Menthol Cigarette Preference in Women. Nicotine Tob Res 2015; 17:1416-20. [PMID: 25832883 DOI: 10.1093/ntr/ntv042] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/03/2014] [Accepted: 02/09/2015] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Smokers may prefer menthol cigarettes to mask the bitter taste of nicotine. Variation in the taste receptor gene, TAS2R38, may contribute to preference for menthol cigarettes. AIMS To determine whether two common haplotypes of TAS2R38 (proline-alanine-valine [PAV] and alanine-valine-isoleucine [AVI]), which have been associated, respectively, with bitter taste or a lack of bitter taste produced by propylthiouracil, are associated with preference for menthol cigarettes. METHODS Data on smoking and blood for DNA extraction and genotyping were obtained from 323 pregnant non-Hispanic or Hispanic Caucasian smokers. We genotyped three TAS2R38 single nucleotide polymorphisms (rs713598, rs1726866, and rs10246939) and constructed haplotypes. We examined associations between menthol preference and the frequency and distribution of the AVI and PAV haplotypes among study participants. RESULTS Participants smoked an average of 16 cigarettes per day before pregnancy. The PAV and AVI haplotype frequencies were 48% and 45%, respectively. Non-Hispanic women were less likely than Hispanic women to smoke menthol cigarettes. As hypothesized, the frequency of the PAV haplotype was greater in menthol than non-menthol smokers in both non-Hispanics (54% vs. 30%; χ(2) = 13.04, P < .001) and Hispanics (53% vs. 25%; χ(2) = 5.77, P = .016). This effect persisted after controlling for potential confounders in multivariate logistic regression. Menthol smokers had a greater number of PAV haplotypes/individual than non-menthol smokers [non-Hispanics odds ratio (OR) = 3.02 (1.56-5.85); P = .001; Hispanics OR = 3.60 (1.23-10.56); P = .020]. CONCLUSIONS These preliminary data support the hypothesis that a genetic propensity to experience heightened bitter taste perception increases the preference for menthol cigarettes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cheryl Oncken
- Department of Medicine and Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Connecticut School of Medicine, Farmington, CT;
| | - Richard Feinn
- Department of Medical Sciences, Frank H. Netter MD School of Medicine, Quinnipiac University, Hamden, CT
| | - Jonathan Covault
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Connecticut School of Medicine, Farmington, CT
| | - Valerie Duffy
- Department of Allied Health Sciences, Allied Health Sciences, College of Agriculture and Natural Resources, University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT
| | - Ellen Dornelas
- Division of Oncology, Department of Medicine, Hartford Hospital, Hartford, CT; Department of Medicine, University of Connecticut School of Medicine, Farmington, CT
| | - Henry R Kranzler
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine and Philadelphia VAMC, Philadelphia, PA
| | - Heather Z Sankey
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Baystate Medical Center, Springfield, MA
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Filiptsova O, Timoshyna I, Kobets YN, Kobets M, Burlaka I, Hurko I. The population structure of Ukraine in relation to the phenylthiocarbamide sensitivity. EGYPTIAN JOURNAL OF MEDICAL HUMAN GENETICS 2015. [DOI: 10.1016/j.ejmhg.2014.12.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/24/2022] Open
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Armelagos GJ. Brain evolution, the determinates of food choice, and the omnivore's dilemma. Crit Rev Food Sci Nutr 2014; 54:1330-41. [PMID: 24564590 DOI: 10.1080/10408398.2011.635817] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/25/2022]
Abstract
A coevolutionary paradigm using a biocultural perspective can help to unravel the complex interactions that led to the contemporary pattern of eating. Evolutionary history helps to understand the adaptation of diet and its nutritional implications. Anatomical and behavioral changes linked to changing dietary patterns in the Paleolithic resulted in an adaptive framework that affects modern diet. The evolution of an expanding brain, a shrinking large intestine, and lengthening small intestine necessitated a demand for nutritionally dense foods. The key to these changes is an understanding of the response to the omnivore's dilemma. Omnivores in their search for new items to feed their varied diet (neophilia) have a challenge when they fear (neophobia) novel items that may be poisonous and can cause death. The inborn mechanism initiates palate fatigue (sensory-specific satiety) ensuring a variety of foods will be eaten. Variety will limit the impact of toxins ingested and provide a more balanced diet. The development of cuisine, a momentous event in history, mediated the conflict, and changed the course of human evolution. The cuisine, a biocultural construct, defines which items found in nature are edible, how these products are transformed into food, the flavors used to add a sensory dimension to foods, and rules of eating or etiquette. Etiquette defines how, when, and with whom we eat. Patterns of eating in the modern setting are the end product of the way that Homo sapiens evolved and resolved the omnivore's dilemma. Control of fire and cooking expanded the range of available foods by creating a class of foods that are "predigested." An essential element to the evolution of the human diet was the transition to agriculture as the primary mode of subsistence. The Neolithic revolution dramatically narrowed the dietary niche by decreasing the variety of available foods, with the shift to intensive agriculture creating a dramatic decline in human nutrition. The recent industrialization of the world food system has resulted in a nutritional transition in which developing nations are simultaneously experiencing undernutrition and obesity. In addition, an abundance of inexpensive, high-density foods laden with sugar and fats is available to a population that expends little energy to obtain such large numbers of calories. Furthermore, the abundant variety of ultraprocessed foods overrides the sensory-specific satiety mechanism leading to overconsumption.
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Affiliation(s)
- George J Armelagos
- a Department of Anthropology , Emory University , 1557 Dickey Drive , Atlanta , GA , 30321 , USA
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Risso D, Tofanelli S, Morini G, Luiselli D, Drayna D. Genetic variation in taste receptor pseudogenes provides evidence for a dynamic role in human evolution. BMC Evol Biol 2014; 14:198. [PMID: 25216916 PMCID: PMC4172856 DOI: 10.1186/s12862-014-0198-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/20/2014] [Accepted: 09/01/2014] [Indexed: 01/16/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Human bitter taste receptors are encoded by a gene family consisting of 25 functional TAS2R loci. In addition, humans carry 11 TAS2R pseudogenes, some of which display evidence for substantial diversification among species, showing lineage-specific loss of function. Since bitter taste is thought to help prevent the intake of toxic substances, diversity at TAS2R genes could reflect the action of natural selection on the ability to recognize some bitter compounds rather than others. Whether species-specific variation in TAS2R pseudogenes is solely the result of genetic drift or whether it may have been influenced by selection due to different feeding behaviors has been an open question. RESULTS In this study, we analyzed patterns of variation at human TAS2R pseudogenes in both African and non-African populations, and compared them to those observable in nonhuman primates and archaic human species. Our results showed a similar worldwide distribution of allelic variation for most of the pseudogenes, with the exception of the TAS2R6P and TAS2R18P loci, both of which presented an unexpected higher frequency of derived alleles outside Africa. At the TAS2R6P locus, two SNPs were found in strong linkage disequilibrium (r2 > 0.9) with variants in the functional TAS2R5 gene, which showed signatures of selection. The human TAS2R18P carried a species-specific stop-codon upstream of four polymorphic insertions in the reading frame. SNPs at this locus showed significant positive values in a number of neutrality statistics, and age estimates indicated that they arose after the homo-chimp divergence. CONCLUSIONS The similar distribution of variation of many human bitter receptor pseudogenes among human populations suggests that they arose from the ancestral forms by a unidirectional loss of function. However we explain the higher frequency of TAS2R6P derived alleles outside Africa as the effect of the balancing selection acting on the closely linked TAS2R5 gene. In contrast, TAS2R18P displayed a more complex history, suggesting an acquired function followed by a recent pseudogenization that predated the divergence of human modern and archaic species, which we hypothesize was associated with adaptions to dietary changes.
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Genetic signature of differential sensitivity to stevioside in the Italian population. GENES AND NUTRITION 2014; 9:401. [PMID: 24705770 DOI: 10.1007/s12263-014-0401-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/15/2013] [Accepted: 03/25/2014] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
The demand for diet products is continuously increasing, together with that for natural food ingredients. Stevioside and other steviol glycosides extracted from the leaves of the plant Stevia rebaudiana Bertoni are the first natural high-potency sweeteners to be approved for consumption in the United States and the European Union. However, the sweetness of these compounds is generally accompanied by aversive sensations, such as bitter and off-tastes, which may constitute a limit to their consumption. Moreover, consumers' differences in sensitivity to high-potency sweeteners are well known, as well as difficulties in characterizing their aftertaste. Recently, TAS2R4 and TAS2R14 have been identified as the receptors that mediate the bitter off-taste of steviol glycosides in vitro. In the present study, we demonstrate that TAS2R4 gene polymorphism rs2234001 and TAS2R14 gene polymorphism rs3741843 are functional for stevioside bitterness perception.
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Feeney EL, O’Brien SA, Scannell AG, Markey A, Gibney ER. Genetic and environmental influences on liking and reported intakes of vegetables in Irish children. Food Qual Prefer 2014. [DOI: 10.1016/j.foodqual.2013.09.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/26/2022]
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