We previously demonstrated the expression of bitter taste receptors of the type 2 family (T2R) and the alpha-subunits of the G protein gustducin (Galpha(gust)) in the rodent gastrointestinal (GI) tract and in GI endocrine cells. In this study, we characterized mechanisms of Ca(2+) fluxes induced by two distinct T2R ligands: denatonium benzoate (DB) and phenylthiocarbamide (PTC), in mouse entero...

This is a book, designed for popular consumption, that lists a number of normal characters held to be inherited in man. Many traits are scarcely "treasures," as might be inferred from the title. They pertain chiefly to physical characters, especially those of the face and other readily inspected areas. Much of the material would appear to have been obtained from students in the author's class o...

This paper introduces a lab project developed for the Summer Teachers’ Workshop in Genomics at Amherst College, and is easily tailored to the weekly format of undergraduate laboratory courses in genetics, genomics, molecular biology, or evolution. The project examines single nucleotide polymorphisms associated with human taste sensitivity to the bitter compound phenylthiocarbamide (PTC). Human ...

The human TAS2R38 receptor is believed to be partly responsible for the ability to taste phenylthiocarbamide (PTC), a bitter compound very similar to the bitter glucosinolates found in brassica vegetables. These vegetables and their active compounds have chemo-protective properties. This study investigated the relationship between genetic variation in the hTAS2R38 receptor and the actual consum...

The cytotoxic activities of three new synthetic catechol analogues, /H(p-hydroxyphenyl)amino|alanine (Compound 1), W-^-hydroxyphenyl)ornithine (Compound 2), and A^-i/n-hydroxyphenylJornithine (Compound 3), were determined against 10 human melanoma and 5 nonmelanoma cell lines. Activities of L-DOPA and 3,4-dihydroxybenzylamine were also measured. Dose-response curves were obtained and concentrat...

Humans' bitter taste perception is mediated by the hTAS2R subfamily of the G protein-coupled membrane receptors (GPCRs). Structural information on these receptors is currently limited. Here we identify residues involved in the binding of phenylthiocarbamide (PTC) and in receptor activation in one of the most widely studied hTAS2Rs (hTAS2R38) by means of structural bioinformatics and molecular d...

Busulphan (Bu) is an alkylating agent used in the conditioning regimen prior to hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT). Bu is extensively metabolized in the liver via conjugations with glutathione to form the intermediate metabolite (sulfonium ion) which subsequently is degraded to tetrahydrothiophene (THT). THT was reported to be oxidized forming THT-1-oxide that is further oxidized to...

Phenoloxidases (POs) are a family of enzymes including tyrosinases, catecholases and laccases, which play an important role in immune defence mechanisms in various invertebrates. The aim of this study was to thoroughly identify the PO-like activity present in the hemolymph of the Pacific oyster Crassostrea gigas, by using different substrates (i.e. dopamine and p-phenylenediamine, PPD) and diff...

The activity and composition of leafhopper saliva are important in interactions with the host rice plant, and it may play a physiological role in detoxifying toxic plant substances or ingesting sap. We have characterized diphenoloxidase in the salivary glands of Nephotettix cincticeps, its activity as a laccase, and its presence in the watery saliva with the objective of understanding its funct...

The ability to accurately and effectively predict the interaction between proteins and small drug-like compounds has long intrigued researchers for pedagogic, humanitarian and economic reasons. Protein docking methods (AutoDock, GOLD, DOCK, FlexX and Glide to name a few) rank a large number of possible conformations of protein-ligand complexes using fast algorithms. Previously, it has been show...