Calcium taste preferences: genetic analysis and genome screen of C57BL/6J × PWK/PhJ hybrid mice

Abstract

To characterize the genetic basis of voluntary calcium consumption, we tested C57BL/6J mice (B6; with low avidity for calcium), PWK/PhJ mice (PWK; with high avidity for calcium) and their F1 and F2 hybrids. All mice received a series of 96‐h two‐bottle preference tests with a choice between water and the following: 50 mm CaCl2, 50 mm calcium lactate, 50 mm MgCl2, 100 mm KCl, 100 mm NH4Cl, 100 mm NaCl, 5 mm citric acid, 30 μm quinine hydrochloride and 2 mm saccharin. Most frequency distributions of the parental and F1 but not F2 groups were normally distributed, and there were few sex differences. Reciprocal cross analysis showed that B6 × PWK F1 mice had a non‐specific elevation of fluid intake relative to PWK × B6 F1 mice. In the F2 mice, trait correlations were clustered among the divalent salts and the monovalent chlorides. A genome screen involving 116 markers showed 30 quantitative trait loci (QTLs), of which six involved consumption of calcium chloride or lactate. The results show pleiotropic controls of calcium and magnesium consumption that are distinct from those controlling consumption of monovalent chlorides or exemplars of the primary taste qualities.

Functional expression of the extracellular-Ca2+-sensing receptor in mouse taste cells

“…Although mechanisms of calcium and magnesium taste are basically obscure, recent evidence implicates the T1R3 receptor (Tordoff et al, 2008a). Moreover, it has been speculated that T1R3 may produce a functional Ca 2+ -sensing receptor by dimerizing with CaSR (Tordoff et al, 2008a;Tordoff et al, 2008b). If so, populations of CaSR-positive cells and T1R3-expressing cells should overlap in the taste bud.…”

Genetics of Taste and Smell

“…Although people differ in the perception of calcium solutions, 119 there are no genetic studies to indicate whether this trait is heritable and which genes (including the genes coding the subunits of the receptor) might be involved. It may be that genotype has a potent effect on calcium perception as it does in mice, 120 or it may be that individual differences in calcium perception are tied to the current diet or metabolic need, similar to sodium and salt (as described in the above section), or both could be true. This is an understudied area.…”

Parent‐of‐origin and trans‐generational germline influences on behavioral development: The interacting roles of mothers, fathers, and grandparents

“…Behavioral changes have also been observed in hybrids, such as the temperament differences commonly reported between hinnies (donkey mother and horse father) and mules (horse mother and donkey father) (Gray, 1972). In the laboratory, the reciprocal breeding of various inbred and outbred rodent strains and species has been extremely useful in screening for parent-of-origin effects on behavioral and physiological phenotypes such as emotional reactivity (Calatayud & Belzung, 2001;Carola, Frazzetto, & Gross, 2006;Roy, Merali, Poulter, & Anisman, 2007), maternal care (Calatayud, Coubard, & Belzung, 2004;Carola et al, 2008;Shoji & Kato, 2009), infanticide (Perrigo et al, 1993), aggression (Carlier, Roubertoux, & Pastoret, 1991;Platt & Maxson, 1989), sex (McGill & Manning, 1976), forced ethanol intake (Gabriel & Cunningham, 2008), calcium taste preference (Tordoff, Reed, & Shao, 2008), activity (Dohm, Richardson, & Garland, 1994;Massett & Berk, 2005;Price & Loomis, 1973), cerebellar development (Cooper, Benno, Hahn, & Hewitt, 1991), peripheral nerve conductivity (Hegmann & White, 1973), central estrogen receptor a distribution (Kramer, Carr, Schmidt, & Cushing, 2006), and puberty onset (Zhou et al, 2007).…”