This gene encodes a member of a family of candidate taste
receptors that are members of the G protein-coupled receptor
superfamily and that are specifically expressed by taste receptor
cells of the tongue and palate epithelia. These apparently
intronless taste receptor genes encode a 7-transmembrane receptor
protein, functioning as a bitter taste receptor. This gene is
clustered with another 3 candidate taste receptor genes in
chromosome 7 and is genetically linked to loci that influence
bitter perception.
