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

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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.