Taste Receptor Type 2 Member 46 (TAS2R46)

TAS2R46 belongs to the large TAS2R receptor family. TAS2Rs are expressed on the surface of taste receptor cells and mediate the perception of bitterness through a G protein-coupled second messenger pathway.

The deduced 309-amino acid protein contains the 7-transmembrane structure and short N- and C-terminal domains conserved in TAS2Rs. The intracellular domains share significant conservation with other TAS2R family members. TAS2R46 shares highest sequence similarity with TAS2R43 and TAS2R44.Airway epithelia contain a cell-autonomous system in which motile cilia both sense noxious substances entering airways and initiate a defensive mechanism to eliminate the offending compound. Hence, like primary cilia, classical motile cilia also contain sensors to detect the external environment.