Journal Article
Complex association between diet and bitter taste receptor gene numbers in vertebrate from an enlarged sampling
Huang, S., Hui, W., Kan, T., Yu, H., Liang, X., Liang, Y., Zhou, Z. and and Feng, P.
Record Number:
6968
Year:
2025
Journal:
https://www.authorea.com/users
Notes:
Posted on 26 Apr 2025. The copyright holder is the author/funder. All rights reserved. No reuse without permission. This is a preprint and has not been peer-reviewed. Data may be preliminary.
Abstract:
Bitter taste perception helps animals avoid over-consuming toxic substances via Tas2rs genes-encoded receptors. Currently, most existing studies on the correlation between feeding preference and Tas2r repertoire in animals focus on smaller animal taxonomic groups. With data accumulation in this topic, we reevaluated this on a larger scale. Therefore, we collected the number of Tas2r genes (including intact genes, partial genes, and pseudogenes) and food habits of 227 reported species. Then we reconstructed the species tree with divergent time and performed correlation analysis using phylogenetically independent contrasts (PIC) to control for phylogenetic inertia. The results showed no correlation between diet and intact Tas2r gene number, but a positive correlation between total Tas2r gene number and putative functional Tas2r gene number (intact and partial genes). We conjectured that feeding preference did not aect gene number as a single factor and the discrepancy between the results of some previous and our present studies could be attributed to the divergence time, the species sample size and other factors such as historical contingency. By expanding the sample scope and integrating multi-omics data, this study oers new insights into the relationship between bitter taste perception and feeding adaptation in vertebrates
Times Cited:
1
Relevent Species: