Recombinant methods for expressing a functional umami (T1R1/T1R3) taste receptor

摘要

Methods for expressing a heteromeric taste receptor that responds to umami taste stimuli are provided. These methods comprise the co-expression of T1R1 and T1R3 nucleic acid sequences in a host cell that desirably also expresses a G protein that couples therewith, e.g., G_α15 and G_α16 or gustducin. In preferred embodiments, the host cells will be mammalian cells or Xenopus oocytes. These nucleic acid sequences are expressed constitutively or under inducible conditions.;In preferred embodiments, the methods will yield mammalian cells that stably express a T1R1/T1R3 umami taste receptor under inducible conditions, e.g., HEK-293 cells that express G_α15.