title: Functional characterization of the TAS2R38 bitter taste receptor for phenylthiocarbamide in colobine monkeys.
abstract: Bitterness perception in mammals is mostly directed at natural toxins that induce innate avoidance behaviours. Bitter taste is mediated by the G protein-coupled receptor TAS2R, which is located in taste cell membranes. One of the best-studied bitter taste receptors is TAS2R38, which recognizes phenylthiocarbamide (PTC). Here we investigate the sensitivities of TAS2R38 receptors to PTC in four species of leaf-eating monkeys (subfamily Colobinae). Compared with macaque monkeys (subfamily Cercopithecinae), colobines have lower sensitivities to PTC in behavioural and in vitro functional analyses. We identified four non-synonymous mutations in colobine TAS2R38 that are responsible for the decreased sensitivity of the TAS2R38 receptor to PTC observed in colobines compared with macaques. These results suggest that tolerance to bitterness in colobines evolved from an ancestor that was sensitive to bitterness as an adaptation to eating leaves.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biology, Bogor Agricultural University, West Java 16680, Indonesia.
authors.forename: Laurentia Henrieta Permita Sari
authors.initials: LH
authors.lastname: Purba
authors.affiliation: Department of Biology, Bogor Agricultural University, West Java 16680, Indonesia.
authors.forename: Kanthi Arum
authors.initials: KA
authors.lastname: Widayati
authors.affiliation: Molecular Biology Section, Department of Cellular and Molecular Biology, Primate Research Institute, Kyoto University, Inuyama, Aichi 484-8506, Japan.
authors.forename: Kei
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Tsutsui
authors.affiliation: Molecular Biology Section, Department of Cellular and Molecular Biology, Primate Research Institute, Kyoto University, Inuyama, Aichi 484-8506, Japan.
authors.forename: Nami
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Suzuki-Hashido
authors.affiliation: Molecular Biology Section, Department of Cellular and Molecular Biology, Primate Research Institute, Kyoto University, Inuyama, Aichi 484-8506, Japan.
authors.forename: Takashi
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Hayakawa
authors.affiliation: Department of Biology, Bogor Agricultural University, West Java 16680, Indonesia.
authors.forename: Sarah
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Nila
authors.affiliation: Department of Biology, Bogor Agricultural University, West Java 16680, Indonesia.
authors.forename: Bambang
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Suryobroto
authors.affiliation: Molecular Biology Section, Department of Cellular and Molecular Biology, Primate Research Institute, Kyoto University, Inuyama, Aichi 484-8506, Japan imai.hiroo.5m@kyoto-u.ac.jp.
authors.forename: Hiroo
authors.identifier: 0000-0003-0729-0322
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Imai
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D005075:Biological Evolution; D016673:Colobinae / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology*; D057809:HEK293 Cells; D006801:Humans; D008251:Macaca / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology*; D027845:Malus; D010670:Phenylthiourea; D043562:Receptors, G-Protein-Coupled / Q000235:genetics*; D020539:Sequence Analysis, Protein; D013649:Taste / Q000235:genetics*
chemical_list: D043562:Receptors, G-Protein-Coupled; D010670:Phenylthiourea
keywords: TAS2R38 receptor; colobines; functional analysis; phenylthiocarbamide