A Ligand for the Umami Receptor in the Sense of Taste

Question

A ligand for the umami receptor in the sense of taste is
A) glucose.
B) sodium ions.
C) potassium ions.
D) hydrogen ions.
E) monosodium glutamate.

Accepted Answer

Monosodium glutamate (MSG) is a flavor enhancer commonly used in food industry to provide a savory taste, which is identified as umami. The umami receptor is a heterodimeric G protein-coupled receptor composed of T1R1 and T1R3 subunits that respond to the presence of glutamate and certain other amino acids, peptides, and nucleotides. Thus, the only option among the given choices that fits the description of a ligand for the umami receptor is monosodium glutamate.