Bitter-sweet solution in taste transduction.
A contentious issue in taste research might have come to a close. Zhang et al., in this issue of Cell, provide broad support for the notion that the recognition of sweet, umami, and bitter tastes use the same signaling molecules. Moreover, they show that individual taste cells are dedicated to the transduction of only one of these three taste qualities.
Amrein
Hubert
H
Department of Molecular Genetics and Microbiology, Duke University Medical Center, 252 CARL Bldg/Research Drive, Durham, NC 27710, USA.
Bray
Steve
S
D000818:Animals; D006801:Humans; D007527:Isoenzymes / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D008565:Membrane Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D008954:Models, Biological; D054799:Phospholipase C beta; D011956:Receptors, Cell Surface / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D011984:Sensory Receptor Cells / Q000378:metabolism*; D015398:Signal Transduction / Q000235:genetics*; D050053:TRPM Cation Channels; D013649:Taste / Q000235:genetics*; D013650:Taste Buds / Q000378:metabolism*; D010738:Type C Phospholipases / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism
D007527:Isoenzymes; D008565:Membrane Proteins; D011956:Receptors, Cell Surface; D050053:TRPM Cation Channels; C404409:TRPM5 protein, human; D010738:Type C Phospholipases; D054799:Phospholipase C beta