Caffeine bitterness is related to daily caffeine intake and bitter receptor mRNA abundance in human taste tissue

We investigated whether the abundance of bitter receptor mRNA expression from human taste papillae is related to an individual's perceptual ratings of bitter intensity and habitual intake of bitter drinks. Ratings of the bitterness of caffeine and quinine and three other bitter stimuli (urea, propylthiouracil, and denatonium benzoate) were compared with relative taste papilla mRNA abundance of bitter receptors that respond to the corresponding bitter stimuli in cell-based assays (TAS2R4, TAS2R10, TAS2R38, TAS2R43, and TAS2R46). We calculated caffeine and quinine intake from a food frequency questionnaire. The bitterness of caffeine was related to the abundance of the combined mRNA expression of these known receptors, r = 0.47, p = .05, and self-reported daily caffeine intake, t(18) = 2.78, p = .012. The results of linear modeling indicated that 47% of the variance among subjects in the rating of caffeine bitterness was accounted for by these two factors (habitual caffeine intake and taste receptor mRNA abundance). We observed no such relationships for quinine but consumption of its primary dietary form (tonic water) was uncommon. Overall, diet and TAS2R gene expression in taste papillae are related to individual differences in caffeine perception

Characterization of Protein Tyrosine Phosphatase 1B Inhibition by Chlorogenic Acid and Cichoric Acid

International audienc

Stereospecific gating of functional motions in Pin1

Pin1 is a modular enzyme that accelerates the cis-trans isomerization of phosphorylated-Ser/Thr-Pro (pS/T-P) motifs found in numerous signaling proteins regulating cell growth and neuronal survival. We have used NMR to investigate the interaction of Pin1 with three related ligands that include a pS-P substrate peptide, and two pS-P substrate analogue inhibitors locked in the cis and trans conformations. Specifically, we compared the ligand binding modes and binding-induced changes in Pin1 side-chain flexibility. The cis and trans binding modes differ, and produce different mobility in Pin1. The cis-locked inhibitor and substrate produced a loss of side-chain flexibility along an internal conduit of conserved hydrophobic residues, connecting the domain interface with the isomerase active site. The trans-locked inhibitor produces a weaker conduit response. Thus, the conduit response is stereoselective. We further show interactions between the peptidyl-prolyl isomerase and Trp-Trp (WW) domains amplify the conduit response, and alter binding properties at the remote peptidyl-prolyl isomerase active site. These results suggest that specific input conformations can gate dynamic changes that support intraprotein communication. Such gating may help control the propagation of chemical signals by Pin1, and other modular signaling proteins