Microscopy structures reveal mechanism behind bitter taste

Cryo-electron microscopy (cryo-EM) structures of a human taste receptor have revealed new information about the mechanisms that enable us to perceive bitter flavours.

Our ability to taste bitter flavours is the result of complex interactions between over 1000 compounds and a suite of 26 receptors, called type-2 taste receptors (TAS2Rs). However, understanding of these interactions has been hindered by a lack of structural data.