title: Gustducin is a taste-cell-specific G protein closely related to the transducins.
abstract: A novel G protein alpha-subunit (alpha-gustducin) has been identified and cloned from taste tissue. alpha-Gustducin messenger RNA is expressed in taste buds of all taste papillae (circumvallate, foliate and fungiform); it is not expressed in non-sensory portions of the tongue, nor is it expressed in the other tissues examined. alpha-Gustducin most closely resembles the transducins (the rod and cone photoreceptor G proteins), suggesting that gustducin's role in taste transduction is analogous to that of transducin in light transduction.
authors.affiliation: Roche Institute of Molecular Biology, Roche Research Center, Nutley, New Jersey 07110-1199.
authors.forename: S K
authors.initials: SK
authors.lastname: McLaughlin
authors.forename: P J
authors.initials: PJ
authors.lastname: McKinnon
authors.forename: R F
authors.initials: RF
authors.lastname: Margolskee
mesh_terms: D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D001483:Base Sequence; D003001:Cloning, Molecular; D004247:DNA / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics; D015870:Gene Expression; D046911:Macromolecular Substances; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D009693:Nucleic Acid Hybridization; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D012326:RNA Splicing; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000235:genetics; D051381:Rats; D013650:Taste Buds / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000378:metabolism; D014158:Transcription, Genetic; D015293:Transducin / Q000032:analysis* / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics
chemical_list: D046911:Macromolecular Substances; D012333:RNA, Messenger; C075192:gustducin; D004247:DNA; D015293:Transducin