Skip to main content

Thank you for visiting nature.com. You are using a browser version with limited support for CSS. To obtain the best experience, we recommend you use a more up to date browser (or turn off compatibility mode in Internet Explorer). In the meantime, to ensure continued support, we are displaying the site without styles and JavaScript.

Mechanism of the Action of Taste-modifying Protein

Nature volume 222, pages 1176–1179 (1969)Cite this article

Abstract

THE “taste-modifying protein” that has been isolated from miracle fruit (Synsepalum dulcificum)1 is a basic glycoprotein with a probable molecular weight of 44,000. Applied to the tongue it modifies taste so that sour substances taste sweet. Brouwer et al.2 have isolated a similar protein from miracle fruit. We describe here a psychological study of the protein designed to clarify its mechanism of action.

This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution

Relevant articles

Open Access articles citing this article.

Access options

Buy article

Get time limited or full article access on ReadCube.

$32.00

Buy

All prices are NET prices.

References

  1. Kurihara, K., and Beidler, L. M., Science, 161, 1241 (1968).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  2. Brouwer, J. N., Van Der Weil, H., Francke, A., and Henning, G. J., Nature, 220, 373 (1968).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  3. Beidler, L. M., Olfaction and Taste II, 509 (1967).

  4. Harris, H., and Kalmus, H., Ann. Eugen. (London), 15, 24 (1949).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  5. Fischer, R., Griffin, F., and Kaplan, A. R., Med. Exp., 9, 151 (1963).

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  6. Warren, R. M., and Pfaffmann, C., J. Appl. Physiol., 14, 40 (1959).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  7. Stöcklin, W., Helv. Chim. Acta, 50, 491 (1967).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  8. Stöcklin, W., Weiss, E., and Reichstein, T., Helv. Chim. Acta, 50, 474 (1967).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  9. Monod, J., Changeux, J. P., and Jacob, F., J. Mol. Biol., 6, 306 (1963).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  10. Scheraga, H. A., Protein Structure (Academic Press, London and New York, 1961).

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Author notes

  1. KENZO KURIHARA

    Present address: Laboratory of Biology, Tokyo Institute of Technology, Tokyo, Japan

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Biological Science, Florida State University, Tallahassee, Florida

    KENZO KURIHARA & LLOYD M. BEIDLER

Authors
  1. KENZO KURIHARA
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. LLOYD M. BEIDLER
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Rights and permissions

Reprints and Permissions

About this article

Cite this article

KURIHARA, K., BEIDLER, L. Mechanism of the Action of Taste-modifying Protein. Nature 222, 1176–1179 (1969). https://doi.org/10.1038/2221176a0

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/2221176a0

This article is cited by

Comments

By submitting a comment you agree to abide by our Terms and Community Guidelines. If you find something abusive or that does not comply with our terms or guidelines please flag it as inappropriate.

Search

Advanced search

Quick links

Nature Briefing

Sign up for the Nature Briefing newsletter — what matters in science, free to your inbox daily.

Get the most important science stories of the day, free in your inbox. Sign up for Nature Briefing