title: Oligomerization of TAS2R bitter taste receptors.
abstract: A family of 25 G protein-coupled receptors, TAS2Rs, mediates bitter taste in humans. Many of the members of this family are coexpressed in a subpopulation of taste receptor cells on the tongue, thereby allowing the possibility of receptor-receptor interactions with potential influences on their function. In this study, we used several experimental approaches to investigate whether TAS2Rs can form oligomers and if this has an effect on receptor function. Coimmunoprecipitations clearly demonstrated that TAS2Rs can physically interact in HEK293T cells. Further bioluminescence resonance energy transfer analysis of all 325 possible binary combinations of TAS2Rs established that the vast majority of TAS2R pairs form oligomers, both homomers and heteromers. Subsequent screenings of coexpressed bitter receptors with 104 different tastants did not reveal any heteromer-specific agonists. Additional studies also showed no obvious influence of TAS2R hetero-oligomerization on plasma membrane localization or pharmacological properties of the receptors. Thus, our results show that receptor oligomerization occurs between TAS2R bitter taste receptors; however, functional consequences of hetero-oligomerization were not obvious.
authors.affiliation: Department of Molecular Genetics, German Institute of Human Nutrition Potsdam-Rehbruecke, Arthur-Scheunert-Allee 114-116, Nuthetal 14558, Germany.
authors.forename: Christina
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Kuhn
authors.forename: Bernd
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Bufe
authors.forename: Claudia
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Batram
authors.forename: Wolfgang
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Meyerhof
mesh_terms: D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D003001:Cloning, Molecular; D017124:Conserved Sequence; D005006:Ethnicity; D019143:Evolution, Molecular; D005518:Food Preferences; D014644:Genetic Variation; D015894:Genome, Human; D006801:Humans; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D020641:Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide / Q000235:genetics*; D043562:Receptors, G-Protein-Coupled / Q000145:classification* / Q000235:genetics* / Q000502:physiology; D016415:Sequence Alignment; D017422:Sequence Analysis, DNA; D013650:Taste Buds / Q000502:physiology*; D013652:Taste Threshold / Q000145:classification; D014059:Tongue / Q000502:physiology; D000098706:Taste Receptors, Type 2
chemical_list: D043562:Receptors, G-Protein-Coupled; D000098706:Taste Receptors, Type 2