INSUBCONTINENT EXCLUSIVE:
Chinese researchers have decoded the molecular system behind birds ability to endure extremely acidic foods, a characteristic that has long
puzzled scientists.Published in the journal Science on Friday, the research study reveals that an essential mutation in the sour taste
receptor OTOP1 gene allows songbirds to take in acidic fruits without aversion.Lai Ren, a scientist and the corresponding author of the
paper at the Kunming Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, stated his team discovered that a single amino acid modification in
OTOP1 improves sour tolerance in songbirds, most likely helping their dietary expansion and types diversification.The team also discovered a
prospective co-evolutionary link between birds sour tolerance and sweet understanding, Lai said, adding that this synergy permits them not
just to withstand fruit acids but likewise to specifically find sugars, enhancing their ability to make use of fruit resources effectively
The research study is the first to systematically discover the molecular basis of bird sour taste understanding and its evolutionary role,
proposing the songbird sour-sweet co-evolution hypothesis, offering brand-new theoretical insights into how complicated sensory systems
adapt synergistically to environmental obstacles, he stated.(Cover: VCG)
