Taste receptors influencing effective modalities in human health – A cutting edge update on TAS1R and TAS2R receptor polymorphisms in taste perception and disease risk

Abstract

Background: Taste is the characteristic sensory modality of the gustatory system associated with dietary intake. The ability of humans to perceive different tastes is predisposed by the activity of taste receptors. The expression of TAS1R family of genes enables the detection of sweetness and umaminess, whereas TAS2R enables the detection of bitterness. The varying levels of expression of these genes within different organs of the gastro-intestinal tract, regulates the metabolism of biomolecules including carbohydrates and proteins. Variations in the gene encoding for taste receptors might affect its binding affinity to tastant molecules and thereby pertain to varying degrees of sensation to taste among individuals. Aim: The goal of this review is to highlight the significant role of TAS1R and TAS2R as a potential biomarker to identify the incidence of morbidities and its probable onset. Method: We thoroughly investigated the SCOPUS, PubMed, Web of Science and Google Scholar databases for literature relating to the association between TAS1R and TAS2R receptors in highlighting the genetic variation during various health morbidities. Results: It has been shown that the abnormalities in taste perception restrain an individual from consuming the adequate amount of food. Taste receptors not only influence the dietary habits but also determine different aspects of human health and well-being. Conclusion: According to the available evidence the dietary molecules conferring varying taste modalities are observed to have therapeutic significance apart from its nutritive value. The taste associated incongruous dietary pattern is a risk factor for various morbidities including obesity, depression, hyperglyceridaemia, and cancers.

A Computational Approach to Understanding and Predicting the Edulcorant Profile of Glucosyl Steviol Glycosides

“…For instance, for hSTR, it was reported that glucose can bind to the Venus fly trap domain (VFTD) and amino-terminal domain (ATD) of the T1R2 and T1R3 [ 15 , 16 ]. For hBTR, 25 receptors of the hTAS2R family have been identified as capable of binding with various ligands to produce diverse bitter tastes [ 17 , 18 ]. Consequently, the diverse binding patterns between taste receptors and sweetener molecules (ligands) result in distinctive taste signals, leading to variations in sweetness and bitterness.…”