As already indicated above, the ability to taste PTC is a characteristic that can be inherited. The ‘inheritability’ of this ability can be explained using the principles proposed by Mendel. It follows that there is a gene responsible for this trait.1 TAS2R is the gene responsible for the aforementioned hereditary pattern. Essentially, TAS2R “has been mapped to the q-arm of chromosome 7 in humansâ€1 (par. 3). The polymorphism exhibited by the said gene results from three mutations. Consequently three different taste responses are reported as explained by Fox in the discourse above.
According to researchers, an individual who can taste the bitterness in PTC possesses a “PAV dominant alleleâ€1 (par. 3). On the other hand, individuals who cannot taste the bitterness of the compound possess a recessive allele designated as ‘the AVI’. However, according to Fox, there is a third category of individuals who detect moderate bitterness of this compound. Such individuals are in possession of PAV/AVI homozygotes.1
