Abstract
THE rod and cone transducing are specific G proteins originally thought to be present only in photoreceptor cells of the vertebrate retina1–4. Transducins convert light stimulation of photoreceptor opsins into activation of cyclic GMP phosphodiesterase (reviewed in refs. 5-7). A transducin-like G protein, gustducin, has been identified and cloned from rat taste cells8. We report here that rod transducin is also present in vertebrate taste cells, where it specifically activates a phosphodiesterase isolated from taste tissue. Furthermore, the bitter compound denatonium in the presence of taste-cell membranes activates transducin but not Gi. A peptide that competitively inhibits rhodopsin activation of transducin9 also blocks taste-cell membrane activation of transducin, arguing for the involvement of a seven-transmembrane-helix G-protein-coupled receptor. These results suggest that rod transducin tranduces bitter taste by coupling taste receptor(s) to taste-cell phosphodiesterase. Phosphodiesterase-mediated degradation of cyclic nucleotides may lead to taste-cell depolarization through the recently identified cyclic-nucleotide-suppressible conductance10.
This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution
Access options
Subscribe to this journal
Receive 51 print issues and online access
$199.00 per year
only $3.90 per issue
Buy this article
- Purchase on Springer Link
- Instant access to full article PDF
Prices may be subject to local taxes which are calculated during checkout
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Lochrie, M. A., Hurley, J. B. & Simon, M. I. Science 228, 96–99 (1985).
Medynski, D. C. et al. Proc. natn. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 82, 4311–4315 (1985).
Tanabe, T. et al. Nature 315, 242–245 (1985).
Yatsunami, K. & Khorana, H. G. Proc. natn. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 82, 4316–4320 (1985).
Chabre, M. & Deterre, P. Eur. J. Biochem. 179, 255–266 (1989).
Stryer, L. J. biol. Chem. 266, 10711–10714 (1991).
Hargrave, P. A. & McDowell, J. H. FASEB J. 6, 2323–2331 (1992).
McLaughlin, S. K., McKinnon, P. J. & Margolskee, R. F. Nature 357, 563–569 (1992).
Hamm, H. E. et al. Science 241, 832–835 (1988).
Kolesnikov, S. & Margolskee, R. F. Nature 376, 85–88 (1995).
Whiteside, B. J. comp. Neurol. 40, 33–45 (1926).
Rarick, H. M., Artemyev, N. O. & Hamm, H. E. Science 256, 1031–1033 (1992).
Spickofsky, N. et al. Nature struct. Biol. 1; 771–781 (1994).
Fung, B. K.-K. & Nash, C. R. J. biol. Chem. 258, 10503–10510 (1983).
Halliday, K. R., Stein, P. J., Chernoff, N., Wheeler, G. L. & Bitensky, M. W. J. biol. Chem. 259, 516–525 (1984).
Fawzi, A. B. & Northup, J. K. Biochemistry 29, 3804–3812 (1990).
Hwang, P. M., Verma, A., Bredt, D. S. & Snyder, S. H. Proc. natn. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 87, 7395–7399 (1990).
Price, S. Nature 241, 54–55 (1973).
Schiffman, S. S., Diaz, C. & Beeker, T. G. Pharmac. Biochem. Behav. 24, 429–432 (1986).
Schiffman, S. S., Gill, J. M. & Diaz, C. Pharmac. Biochem. Behav. 22, 195–203 (1985).
Spickofsky, N., McLaughlin, S. K., McKinnon, P. J. & Margolskee, R. F. Chem. Sens. 17, 701 (1992).
Abe, K., Kusakabe, Y., Tanemura, K., Emori, Y. & Arai, S. FEBS Lett. 316, 253–256 (1993).
Abe, K., Kusakabe, Y., Tanemura, K., Emori, Y. & Arai, S. J. biol. Chem. 268, 12033–12039 (1993).
Matsuoka, I., Mori, T., Aoki, J., Sato, T. & Kurihara, K. Biochem. biophys. Res. Commun. 194, 504–511 (1993).
Striem, B. J., Pace, U., Zehavi, U., Naim, M. & Lancet, D. Biochem. J. 260, 121–125 (1989).
Naim, M., Ronen, T., Striem, B., Levinson, M. & Zehavi, U. Comp. Biochem. Physiol. 100B, 455–458 (1991).
Striem, B. J., Naim, M. & Lindemann, B. Cell. Physiol. Biochem. 1, 46–54 (1991).
Kopf, G. S. & Woolkalis, M. J. Meth. Enzym. 195, 257–266 (1991).
Alvarez, R. & Daniels, D. V. Analyt. Biochem. 203, 76–82 (1992).
Fung, B. K.-K., Hurley, J. B. & Stryler, L. Proc. natn. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 78, 152–156 (1981).
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Ruiz-Avila, L., McLaughlin, S., Wildman, D. et al. Coupling of bitter receptor to phosphodiesterase through transducin in taste receptor cells. Nature 376, 80–85 (1995). https://doi.org/10.1038/376080a0
Received:
Accepted:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/376080a0
This article is cited by
-
An alternative pathway for sweet sensation: possible mechanisms and physiological relevance
Pflügers Archiv - European Journal of Physiology (2020)
-
Whole transcriptome profiling of taste bud cells
Scientific Reports (2017)
-
Impact of obesity on taste receptor expression in extra-oral tissues: emphasis on hypothalamus and brainstem
Scientific Reports (2016)
-
Understanding the impact of taste changes in oncology care
Supportive Care in Cancer (2016)
-
Denatonium inhibits growth and induces apoptosis of airway epithelial cells through mitochondrial signaling pathways
Respiratory Research (2015)
Comments
By submitting a comment you agree to abide by our Terms and Community Guidelines. If you find something abusive or that does not comply with our terms or guidelines please flag it as inappropriate.