Insights into the Function and Evolution of Taste 1 Receptor Gene Family in the Carnivore Fish Gilthead Seabream (Sparus aurata)

Department of Fish Physiology and Biotechnology, Instituto de Acuicultura de Torre de la Sal, IATS-CSIC, Torre la Sal s/n, Ribera de Cabanes, 12595 Castellon, Spain

Lucta S.A., Innovation Division, UAB Research Park, 08193 Bellaterra, Spain

Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.

^†

These authors contributed equally to this work.

Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2020, 21(20), 7732; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms21207732

Received: 23 September 2020 / Revised: 14 October 2020 / Accepted: 16 October 2020 / Published: 19 October 2020

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Nutritional, Environmental, and Anthropogenic Influence in Molecular Pathways Involved in Fish Development)

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Abstract

A plethora of molecular and functional studies in tetrapods has led to the discovery of multiple taste 1 receptor (T1R) genes encoding G-protein coupled receptors (GPCRs) responsible for sweet (T1R2 + T1R3) and umami (T1R1 + T1R3) taste. In fish, the T1R gene family repertoires greatly expanded because of several T1R2 gene duplications, and recent studies have shown T1R2 functional divergence from canonical mammalian sweet taste perceptions, putatively as an adaptive mechanism to develop distinct feeding strategies in highly diverse aquatic habitats. We addressed this question in the carnivore fish gilthead seabream (Sparus aurata), a model species of aquaculture interest, and found that the saT1R gene repertoire consists of eight members including saT1R1, saT1R3 and six saT1R2a-f gene duplicates, adding further evidence to the evolutionary complexity of fishT1Rs families. To analyze saT1R taste functions, we first developed a stable gene reporter system based on Ca²⁺-dependent calcineurin/NFAT signaling to examine specifically in vitro the responses of a subset of saT1R heterodimers to L-amino acids (L-AAs) and sweet ligands. We show that although differentially tuned in sensitivity and magnitude of responses, saT1R1/R3, saT1R2a/R3 and saT1R2b/R3 may equally serve to transduce amino acid taste sensations. Furthermore, we present preliminary information on the potential involvement of the Gi protein alpha subunits saGαi1 and saGαi2 in taste signal transduction. View Full-Text

Keywords: T1R receptors; Gαi protein; alpha subunit; taste; umami; amino acids

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Angotzi, A.R.; Puchol, S.; Cerdá-Reverter, J.M.; Morais, S. Insights into the Function and Evolution of Taste 1 Receptor Gene Family in the Carnivore Fish Gilthead Seabream (Sparus aurata). Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2020, 21, 7732. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms21207732

AMA Style

Angotzi AR, Puchol S, Cerdá-Reverter JM, Morais S. Insights into the Function and Evolution of Taste 1 Receptor Gene Family in the Carnivore Fish Gilthead Seabream (Sparus aurata). International Journal of Molecular Sciences. 2020; 21(20):7732. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms21207732

Chicago/Turabian Style

Angotzi, Anna R., Sara Puchol, Jose M. Cerdá-Reverter, and Sofia Morais. 2020. "Insights into the Function and Evolution of Taste 1 Receptor Gene Family in the Carnivore Fish Gilthead Seabream (Sparus aurata)" International Journal of Molecular Sciences 21, no. 20: 7732. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms21207732

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Insights into the Function and Evolution of Taste 1 Receptor Gene Family in the Carnivore Fish Gilthead Seabream (Sparus aurata)

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