Dataset Information

Sweet taste receptor gene variation and aspartame taste in primates and other species.

ABSTRACT: Aspartame is a sweetener added to foods and beverages as a low-calorie sugar replacement. Unlike sugars, which are apparently perceived as sweet and desirable by a range of mammals, the ability to taste aspartame varies, with humans, apes, and Old World monkeys perceiving aspartame as sweet but not other primate species. To investigate whether the ability to perceive the sweetness of aspartame correlates with variations in the DNA sequence of the genes encoding sweet taste receptor proteins, T1R2 and T1R3, we sequenced these genes in 9 aspartame taster and nontaster primate species. We then compared these sequences with sequences of their orthologs in 4 other nontasters species. We identified 9 variant sites in the gene encoding T1R2 and 32 variant sites in the gene encoding T1R3 that distinguish aspartame tasters and nontasters. Molecular docking of aspartame to computer-generated models of the T1R2 + T1R3 receptor dimer suggests that species variation at a secondary, allosteric binding site in the T1R2 protein is the most likely origin of differences in perception of the sweetness of aspartame. These results identified a previously unknown site of aspartame interaction with the sweet receptor and suggest that the ability to taste aspartame might have developed during evolution to exploit a specialized food niche.

SUBMITTER: Li X

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3094689 | biostudies-literature | 2011 Jun

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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Sweet taste receptor gene variation and aspartame taste in primates and other species.

Li Xia X Bachmanov Alexander A AA Maehashi Kenji K Li Weihua W Lim Raymond R Brand Joseph G JG Beauchamp Gary K GK Reed Danielle R DR Thai Chloe C Floriano Wely B WB

Chemical senses 20110316 5

Aspartame is a sweetener added to foods and beverages as a low-calorie sugar replacement. Unlike sugars, which are apparently perceived as sweet and desirable by a range of mammals, the ability to taste aspartame varies, with humans, apes, and Old World monkeys perceiving aspartame as sweet but not other primate species. To investigate whether the ability to perceive the sweetness of aspartame correlates with variations in the DNA sequence of the genes encoding sweet taste receptor proteins, T1R ...[more]

PMID: 21414996

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Project description:The preference for sweet taste is partially genetically determined. The major allele of the single nucleotide polymorphism rs12033832 in the sweet taste receptor (TAS1R2) has previously been associated with lower sugar sensitivity and higher sugar intake among overweight individuals. The aim of the present study was to examine the association between dietary intake and the TAS1R2 genotype in lean and overweight individuals in the population-based Malmö Diet and Cancer (MDC) cohort using dietary intake data with a high validity.In total, 3,602 participants (46-68?years old) from the MDC cohort who underwent baseline examinations between 1991 and 1994, who were non-smokers without diabetes, and for whom information regarding TAS1R2 rs7534618 (a proxy for rs12033832) was available were included in this study. After excluding individuals with potentially misreported and unstable food habits, 2,204 individuals were retained. A modified dietary history method, including a 7-day food diary of prepared meals, which was specifically designed for the MDC study was used.Only modest associations were observed between dietary intake and the TAS1R2 genotype. We observed slightly stronger associations after excluding individuals with potentially misreported and unstable food habits. Among the participants with a BMI ?25, the major (T) allele carriers consumed more carbohydrates [TT?=?45.2 percentage of energy intake (E%); TG?=?45.2E%; GG?=?43.7E%; p?=?0.01] and less fat (p?=?0.03), but these participants did not consume more sucrose than the G-allele carriers. No association was observed between the genotype and dietary intake among the participants with a BMI <25.Although the higher carbohydrate intake among the major allele carriers was consistent with that reported in a previous study, the magnitudes of the associations were substantially smaller. Because we observed no association with sucrose, this allele is unlikely to be useful as a marker of sugar intake in the MDC population.

Dataset Information

Sweet taste receptor gene variation and aspartame taste in primates and other species.

Publications

Sweet taste receptor gene variation and aspartame taste in primates and other species.

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