The University of Tokyo

Nissin Foods Holdings Co., Ltd.

Mitsukan Group Corporation

Nissan Foods Holdings Co., Ltd.

Tomiko Asakura

Keiko Abe

Yoichi Kasahara

Mitsuru Tanaka

Junichi Maruyama

Katsuhiko Kitamoto

Yoshiro Ishimaru

Hiroyuki Sorimachi

Tazuko Uenoyama

Kenichiro Nakajima

Mikiya Kishi

Masataka Narukawa

Takanobu Sakurai

Haruyuki Yamashita

An object of the present invention is to provide a novel salty taste-enhancing agent and production method therefor, and salty taste-enhancing method for a food and beverage. As means for achieving such object, provided is a salty taste-enhancing agent.

Salty taste-enhancing agent and manufacturing method therefor, and salty taste-enhancing method

A method for screening an active ingredient of a saltiness enhancer, the screening method including the following steps: (i) a step for determining whether a test substance is a compound capable of promoting functional expression of the TMC4 gene or TMC4 protein; and (ii) a step for selecting, as an active ingredient of a saltiness enhancer, a test substance that has been determined in step (i) to be a compound capable of promoting functional expression of the TMC4 gene or TMC4 protein.

Method for screening saltiness enhancer using saltiness receptor

Disclosed is a polypeptide shown in the following in (A), and a protein dimer neoculin comprising the polypeptide Neoculin Acidic Subunit (NAS) and the polypeptide Neoculin Basic Subunit (NBS) and having a taste-modifying activity:

DNA encoding a neoculin acidic subunit of curculin

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Tokyo, Japan

Tomiko Asakura