A Novel Salty Taste Receptor In Mice

• Embargoed until April 14th, 2019
  
  Media Contact: Dr. Thomas Mast, Chair, Public Information and Affairs Committee; email: [email protected]. Before April 14th and after 17th April: Phone 734 487 6916; April 14th–17th, 2019, Hyatt Regency Coconut Point Resort and Spa, Bonita Springs, FL; Phone +1 850 212 7072.

Mechanisms of salty taste sensing is largely unknown. By using advanced techniques, here we found transmembrane channel-like 6 (TMC6) functioned as a key protein.

To find a novel salty taste receptors, we focused on transmembrane channel-like 6 (TMC6), a candidate receptor protein which is detected in taste cells of mice. In TMC6 deficient mice, preference for NaCl, but not for sweet, sour, bitter and umami solutions, was largely decreased compared to the wild-type mice. Heterologously TMC6-expressed cultured cells responded to extracellular NaCl stimulation in calcium imaging experiment. The artificial lipid bilayer membrane embedded with a purified TMC6 protein showed single ion channel-like currents under NaCl application. These results suggest that TMC6 is a novel NaCl-gated ion channel as a salty taste receptor in mice. (contact: Takami Maekawa; +81-44-210-5854 (ext: 7196)).

Authors: Takami Maekawa, Koki Kamiya, Tooru Takahashi, Kentaro Kaji, Yukio Tezuka, Toshihisa Osaki, Shoji Takeuchi, Takashi Kondoh

The poster presentation “TMC6: a novel salt taste receptor in mice” (#P546) takes place Wednesday April 17th, 8:00-10:00 am ET in the Estero Ballroom