title: Sequence Analysis of Bitter Taste Receptor Gene Repertoires in Different Ruminant Species.
abstract: Bitter taste has been extensively studied in mammalian species and is associated with sensitivity to toxins and with food choices that avoid dangerous substances in the diet. At the molecular level, bitter compounds are sensed by bitter taste receptor proteins (T2R) present at the surface of taste receptor cells in the gustatory papillae. Our work aims at exploring the phylogenetic relationships of T2R gene sequences within different ruminant species. To accomplish this goal, we gathered a collection of ruminant species with different feeding behaviors and for which no genome data is available: American bison, chamois, elk, European bison, fallow deer, goat, moose, mouflon, muskox, red deer, reindeer and white tailed deer. The herbivores chosen for this study belong to different taxonomic families and habitats, and hence, exhibit distinct foraging behaviors and diet preferences. We describe the first partial repertoires of T2R gene sequences for these species obtained by direct sequencing. We then consider the homology and evolutionary history of these receptors within this ruminant group, and whether it relates to feeding type classification, using MEGA software. Our results suggest that phylogenetic proximity of T2R genes corresponds more to the traditional taxonomic groups of the species rather than reflecting a categorization by feeding strategy.
authors.affiliation: Instituto de Ciências Agrárias e Ambientais Mediterrânicas (ICAAM), Universidade de Évora, 7006-554 Évora, Portugal; Plant Cell Biotechnology Laboratory, Instituto de Tecnologia Química e Biológica António Xavier (ITQB-UNL), Universidade Nova de Lisboa, 2780-157 Oeiras, Portugal.
authors.forename: Ana
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Monteiro Ferreira
authors.affiliation: Instituto de Investigação Científica Tropical, 1300-344 Lisboa, Portugal.
authors.forename: Andreia
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Tomás Marques
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Biomedical Microbiology and Immunology, University of Veterinary and Pharmacy, 04181 Kosice, Slovakia.
authors.forename: Mangesh
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Bhide
authors.affiliation: University of Zagreb, Faculty of Agriculture, Department of Animal Science, 10000 Zagreb, Croatia.
authors.forename: Vlatka
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Cubric-Curik
authors.affiliation: NOFIMA, Norwegian Food Research Institute, N 1430 Aas, Norway.
authors.forename: Kristin
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Hollung
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, 2200 Copenhagen, Denmark.
authors.forename: Christopher Harold
authors.initials: CH
authors.lastname: Knight
authors.affiliation: Greenland Institute of Natural Resources, 3900 Nuuk, Greenland.
authors.forename: Katrine
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Raundrup
authors.affiliation: National Animal Disease Center, Ruminant Diseases and Immunology Research Unit, USDA, Ames, IA, 50010, United States of America.
authors.forename: John
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Lippolis
authors.affiliation: National Animal Disease Center, Bacterial Diseases of Livestock Research Unit, USDA, Ames, IA, 50010, United States of America.
authors.forename: Mitchell
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Palmer
authors.affiliation: Instituto de Ciências Agrárias e Ambientais Mediterrânicas (ICAAM), Universidade de Évora, 7006-554 Évora, Portugal; Departamento de Zootecnia, Universidade de Évora, 7002-554 Évora, Portugal.
authors.forename: Elvira
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Sales-Baptista
authors.affiliation: Plant Cell Biotechnology Laboratory, Instituto de Tecnologia Química e Biológica António Xavier (ITQB-UNL), Universidade Nova de Lisboa, 2780-157 Oeiras, Portugal; Instituto de Investigação Científica Tropical, 1300-344 Lisboa, Portugal.
authors.forename: Susana Sousa
authors.initials: SS
authors.lastname: Araújo
authors.affiliation: Plant Cell Biotechnology Laboratory, Instituto de Tecnologia Química e Biológica António Xavier (ITQB-UNL), Universidade Nova de Lisboa, 2780-157 Oeiras, Portugal; Instituto de Investigação Científica Tropical, 1300-344 Lisboa, Portugal; CIISA-Centro Interdisciplinar de Investigação em Sanidade Animal, 1300-477 Lisboa, Portugal; IBET-Instituto de Biologia Experimental e Tecnológica, 2780-157 Oeiras, Portugal.
authors.forename: André Martinho
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: de Almeida
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D010802:Phylogeny; D043562:Receptors, G-Protein-Coupled / Q000235:genetics*; D012418:Ruminants / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics*; D013045:Species Specificity; D013649:Taste; D000098706:Taste Receptors, Type 2
chemical_list: D043562:Receptors, G-Protein-Coupled; D000098706:Taste Receptors, Type 2