This gene encodes a bitter taste receptor, bitter taste receptors are members of the G protein-coupled receptor superfamily and are specifically expressed by taste receptor cells of the tongue and palate epithelia. Each of these apparently intronless taste receptor genes encodes a 7-transmembrane receptor protein, functioning as a bitter taste receptor. This gene is clustered with another 3 candidate taste receptor genes on chromosome 7 and is genetically linked to loci that influence bitter perception. [provided by RefSeq, Jul 2008],function:Receptor that may play a role in the perception of bitterness and is gustducin-linked. May play a role in sensing the chemical composition of the gastrointestinal content. The activity of this receptor may stimulate alpha gustducin, mediate PLC-beta-2 activation and lead to the gating of TRPM5.,miscellaneous:Most taste cells may be activated by a limited number of bitter compounds, individual taste cells can discriminate among bitter stimuli.,similarity:Belongs to the G-protein coupled receptor T2R family.,tissue specificity:Expressed in subsets of taste receptor cells of the tongue and palate epithelium and exclusively in gustducin-positive cells.,
