A high-throughput screening procedure for identifying mice with aberrant taste and oromotor function

Area of Science:

• Neuroscience
• Genetics
• Mammalian Biology

Background:

• Understanding gene function in mammalian taste perception is limited.
• Screening genetically altered mice for taste abnormalities is a promising research avenue.
• A high-throughput, robust screening method is needed to identify genes influencing taste.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop an automated, high-throughput screening procedure for assessing mammalian taste function.
• To create a normative database for taste responsiveness in C57BL/6 mice.
• To identify mice with potential genetic mutations affecting taste phenotypes and oromotor function.

Main Methods:

• Utilized a commercially available gustometer system to monitor mouse licking responses to taste stimuli (quinine hydrochloride, sodium chloride, sucrose).
• Developed a screening protocol involving 2 days of training, enabling concentration-response curve generation for different stimuli.
• Implemented a secondary screen to detect oromotor abnormalities that could affect taste test results.

Main Results:

• Established a normative database from 98 mice, providing a benchmark for taste responsiveness.
• The screening procedure can generate taste concentration-response curves efficiently within a single session for some stimuli.
• The method allows for the identification of mice deviating significantly from the norm, indicating potential genetic mutations.

Conclusions:

• The developed automated screening procedure offers a sensitive and time-efficient method for assessing mammalian taste function.
• This tool facilitates the identification of genes influencing taste perception and oromotor control.
• The normative database serves as a crucial reference for future genetic studies on taste in mice.