Elucidation of the intra- and inter- species characteristics ofsensory functions based on the genome divergence

我们基于基因组的多样性，从遗传、蛋白质和行为水平上研究了灵长类的化学感觉。在灵长类动物的摄食行为中发现了大量的多态性，特别是在苦味受体基因上，这反映了灵长类摄食行为的地区和个体差异。通过对人、猕猴、黑猩猩和叶猴TAS2R16功能的种间比较，我们发现柳树树皮中含有水杨素等配体的敏感性和选择性存在种间差异。这一结果表明，在取食植物中含有的生物活性分子的遗传和蛋白质功能差异的基础上，物种间在苦味感觉上存在差异。

We investigated the chemical senses of primates in genetic, protein, and behavior level based on the genomic diversities. Lots of polymorphisms are identified especially in bitter taste receptor genes, which would reflect the regionaland individual differences in the feeding behaviors of primates. By interspecies comparison of TAS2R16 functions between human, macaque, chimpanzee, and langur, we found interspecies differences in the sensitivity and selectiviy of ligands like salicin contained in bark of willow trees. This result demonstrates the presence of in terspecies differences in the sense of bitter taste, based on the genetic and protein functional difference, for the bioactive molecules contained in the feeding plants.