title: Analysis of a human fungiform papillae cDNA library and identification of taste-related genes.
abstract: Various genes related to early events in human gustation have recently been discovered, yet a thorough understanding of taste transduction is hampered by gaps in our knowledge of the signaling chain. As a first step toward gaining additional insight, the expression specificity of genes in human taste tissue needs to be determined. To this end, a fungiform papillae cDNA library has been generated and analyzed. For validation of the library, taste-related gene probes were used to detect known molecules. Subsequently, DNA sequence analysis was performed to identify further candidates. Of 987 clones sequenced, clustering results in 288 contigs. Comparison of these contigs with genomic databases reveals that 207 contigs (71.9%) match known genes, 16 (5.6%) match hypothetical genes, eight (2.8%) match repetitive sequences and 57 (19.8%) have no or low similarity to annotated genes. The results indicate that despite a high level of redundancy, this human fungiform cDNA library contains specific taste markers and is valuable for investigation of both known and novel taste-related genes.
authors.affiliation: Nestlé Research Center, Vers-chez-les-Blanc, Lausanne 1000, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Olivier
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Rossier
authors.forename: Jie
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Cao
authors.forename: Taufiqul
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Huque
authors.forename: Andrew I
authors.initials: AI
authors.lastname: Spielman
authors.forename: Roy S
authors.initials: RS
authors.lastname: Feldman
authors.forename: Juan F
authors.initials: JF
authors.lastname: Medrano
authors.forename: Joseph G
authors.initials: JG
authors.lastname: Brand
authors.forename: Johannes
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: le Coutre
mesh_terms: D019295:Computational Biology; D020451:Contig Mapping; D030561:Databases, Nucleic Acid; D015723:Gene Library; D006801:Humans; D011506:Proteins / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics; D017421:Sequence Analysis; D015398:Signal Transduction / Q000235:genetics; D013649:Taste / Q000235:genetics*; D013650:Taste Buds
chemical_list: D011506:Proteins