The molecular signature of umami palatability in dogs based on amino acid interactions with canine taste receptors

Authors: Margaux Brewer, and Arun HS Kumar

Arch.Life.Sci.Res. 2026. vol. 2, Iss. 1 pp:25-35
Doi: https://doi.org/10.51585/alsr.2026.1.0011

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Abstract:

Canine feeding behaviour is strongly influenced by taste perception; however, the molecular determinants of palatability, particularly those associated with umami taste, remain insufficiently characterized. Dogs typically consume food rapidly with minimal mastication and rely on a relatively small number of taste buds to detect sour, bitter, salty, sweet, and umami flavours. Amino acids play a central role in canine taste perception, especially in diets rich in animal proteins. This study aimed to identify the amino acids that most effectively stimulate umami perception in dogs using a receptor–ligand docking approach. Twenty-seven canine-specific taste receptors were identified from the UniProt database, including three umami, two sweet, five uncharacterized, and seventeen bitter receptors. All twenty naturally occurring amino acids were docked against these receptors using the CB-Dock tool, and their binding affinities were systematically analyzed. Heat maps of binding energies indicated that tyrosine, tryptophan, arginine, histidine, phenylalanine, glutamine, glutamic acid, and lysine exhibited the strongest interactions with umami and sweet receptors, while bitter and uncharacterized receptors showed weaker affinities. Binding energy ratio analyses further demonstrated that amino acids preferentially stimulated umami and sweet receptors, with lysine, histidine, glutamine, glutamic acid, and arginine identified as key co-stimulators. Functional enrichment analyses revealed that these receptors are members of Class C/3 G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs), with membrane-bound sweet receptor complexes and strong associations with the sensory perception of umami, sweet, and bitter tastes. These findings provide a molecular basis for enhancing palatability in canine diets and have practical implications for the formulation of dry dog food and the development of oral veterinary medicines. The results underscore the importance of specific amino acids, potentially in combination with salts, in modulating taste responses and improving food acceptance in dogs.

Keywords:

Amino acids, Canine taste receptors, Gustation, GPCR, Molecular docking, Palatability, Pet nutrition, Umami

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