Unlike sweet,salty,sour,or umami,the "bitter" category of tastants includes wide structural variety of detected molecules.Multiple receptors are required to sense the different bitter tastants.What do they have in common? Bitter taste is thought to have evolved as a warning system for toxic compounds.
-The bitter receptor hTAS2R38 is activated by glucosinolates found in plants such as turnips and broccoli.The gene variant a person has determines how sensitive their neurons are to these compounds.What would you predict for people who have the high-sensitivity variant of hTAS2R38?
A)They will not easily digest turnips and broccoli.
B)They will have to eat more turnips and broccoli to get the same flavor.
C)They will dislike turnips and broccoli.
D)They will become allergic to turnips and broccoli.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The high-sensitivity variant of hTAS2R38 would make a person more sensitive to the bitter glucosinolates found in turnips and broccoli. This increased sensitivity could lead to a dislike of turnips and broccoli due to the bitter taste.

Unlike Sweet,salty,sour,or Umami,the "Bitter" Category of Tastants Includes Wide Structural