title: Characterization of ligands for fish taste receptors.
abstract: Recent progress in the molecular biology of taste reception has revealed that in mammals, the heteromeric receptors T1R1/3 and T1R2/3 respond to amino acids and sweeteners, respectively, whereas T2Rs are receptors for bitter tastants. Similar taste receptors have also been characterized in fish, but their ligands have not been identified yet. In the present study, we conducted a series of experiments to identify the fish taste receptor ligands. Facial nerve recordings in zebrafish (Danio rerio) demonstrated that the fish perceived amino acids and even denatonium, which is a representative of aversive bitter compounds for mammals and Drosophila. Calcium imaging analysis of T1Rs in zebrafish and medaka fish (Oryzias latipes) using an HEK293T heterologous expression system revealed that both T1R1/3 and a series of T1R2/3 responded to amino acids but not to sugars. A triple-labeling, in situ hybridization analysis demonstrated that cells expressing T1R1/3 and T1R2/3s exist in PLCbeta2-expressing taste bud cells of medaka fish. Functional analysis using T2Rs showed that zfT2R5 and mfT2R1 responded to denatonium. Behavior observations confirmed that zebrafish prefer amino acids and avoid denatonium. These results suggest that, although there may be some fish-specific way of discriminating ligands, vertebrates could have a conserved gustatory mechanism by which T1Rs and T2Rs respond to attractive and aversive tastants, respectively.
authors.affiliation: Department of Applied Biological Chemistry, Graduate School of Agricultural and Life Sciences, The University of Tokyo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-8657, Japan.
authors.forename: Hideaki
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Oike
authors.forename: Toshitada
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Nagai
authors.forename: Akira
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Furuyama
authors.forename: Shinji
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Okada
authors.forename: Yoshiko
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Aihara
authors.forename: Yoshiro
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Ishimaru
authors.forename: Takayuki
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Marui
authors.forename: Ichiro
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Matsumoto
authors.forename: Takumi
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Misaka
authors.forename: Keiko
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Abe
mesh_terms: D000596:Amino Acids / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000378:metabolism; D000818:Animals; D002460:Cell Line; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D006801:Humans; D008024:Ligands; D009990:Oryzias / Q000502:physiology*; D000644:Quaternary Ammonium Compounds / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000378:metabolism; D043562:Receptors, G-Protein-Coupled / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000502:physiology; D013650:Taste Buds / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000502:physiology; D015027:Zebrafish / Q000502:physiology*; D000098706:Taste Receptors, Type 2
chemical_list: D000596:Amino Acids; D008024:Ligands; D000644:Quaternary Ammonium Compounds; D043562:Receptors, G-Protein-Coupled; D000098706:Taste Receptors, Type 2; C431926:taste receptors, type 1; C043414:denatonium