TAS2R16
receptor / receptor-tas2r16
苦味受容体TAS2R16
One of the human bitter taste receptors. It responds to bitter glycosides such as salicin, and interactions with umami-related substances have been investigated in heterologous expression systems.
On this page (6 sections)
Reading the bitterness
TAS2R16 is one of the human bitter taste receptors responding to bitter glycosides such as salicin. In a 2020 study using calcium response as an indicator in HEK293T cells co-expressing hTAS2R16 and Galpha16gust44, monosodium glutamate (MSG), an umami substance, is reported to have acted as a surmountable antagonist against the wild-type hTAS2R16 response to salicin and similar compounds. However, human sensory testing has not been conducted, and this result demonstrates the behavior in a cell system with the single receptor hTAS2R16.
In investigations using the same cell system, inosine monophosphate (IMP) is reported as a partial insurmountable antagonist against the wild-type hTAS2R16 bitter ligand response. Quantitatively, with the addition of IMP, the EC50 for salicin increased 2- to 3-fold, and at the maximum concentration of IMP 30 mM, the maximum response to salicin alone is reported to have decreased by 50%. This result is also based on a dose-response curve in hTAS2R16-expressing cells, not human sensory testing.
L-Theanine is also reported as a partial insurmountable antagonist in the same hTAS2R16-expressing cell system. Quantitatively, at the maximum concentration of L-theanine 100 mM, the maximum response to salicin alone decreased by 55%, and the EC50 is reported to have increased 2- to 3-fold. Together with IMP and MSG, these results demonstrate that umami-related substances can suppress hTAS2R16 bitter ligand response at the cellular level; however, none of these directly prove 『うま苦い』 (in translation: "umami-bitter") interactions in tea or in overall dishes.
Sources for this overview
Suppression of hTAS2R16 Signaling by Umami Substances
Checked for this overview: Confirmed the cell assay result that MSG behaved as a surmountable antagonist. / Confirmed the classification of IMP as a partial insurmountable antagonist. / Confirmed the 50% decrease in maximum response and EC50 shift at IMP 30 mM. / Confirmed the classification of L-theanine as a partial insurmountable antagonist. / Confirmed the 55% decrease in maximum response at theanine 100 mM.
Follow the connections
monosodium glutamate →antagonizes→ TAS2R16
inosine monophosphate →antagonizes→ TAS2R16
L-theanine →antagonizes→ TAS2R16
Structured claims — open a section to read each claim's confidence, evidence and limits
Mechanism and receptors (5)
Scope: Calcium response to salicin and related ligands in HEK293T cells expressing hTAS2R16
Note: A single receptor in a cell system. Does not directly demonstrate umami-bitter in human sensory perception or in dishes as a whole.
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compound-monosodium-glutamate —antagonizes→ receptor-tas2r16Scope: The same hTAS2R16-expressing cell system
Note: Reported as partial, non-surmountable antagonism. Not extrapolated to human sensory perception.
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compound-inosine-monophosphate —antagonizes→ receptor-tas2r16Scope: The same hTAS2R16-expressing cell system
Note: Reported as partial, non-surmountable antagonism. Not extrapolated to the overall bitterness of tea or dishes.
Show data
compound-l-theanine —antagonizes→ receptor-tas2r16Scope: Layer: cellular. Salicin-induced calcium-influx assay in hTAS2R16-expressing cells (Kim, Son, Kim, Misaka & Rhyu 2015).
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compound-class-soy-umami-peptides —antagonizes→ receptor-tas2r16Scope: Layer: cell (receptor level). Literature (a description from a review).
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sensation-salty —reduces→ receptor-tas2r16