Co-evolution of glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase deficiency and quinine taste sensitivity.
We hypothesized that 'quinine' taste sensitivity functions to regulate the intake of bitter-tasting, naturally occurring antimalarial substances of plant origin, and that this genetic trait has co-evolved with the G6PD locus. This hypothesis was tested by evaluating taste sensitivity to quinine sulphate and sodium chloride among 17 G6PD-deficient and 25 G6PD-normal African American subjects 14-40 years of age. There was no significant difference in mean 'quinine' taste sensitivity between the two groups, although there was a trend towards greater 'quinine' taste acuity among the G6PD-deficient subjects. A larger study sample would provide a fairer test of the hypothesis.
Greene
L S
LS
University of Massachusetts/Boston.
McMahon
L
L
DiIorio
J
J
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D005075:Biological Evolution; D005260:Female; D005955:Glucosephosphate Dehydrogenase Deficiency / Q000235:genetics*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D011803:Quinine; D012965:Sodium Chloride; D013649:Taste / Q000235:genetics*
D012965:Sodium Chloride; D011803:Quinine