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While G-protein coupled receptors can activate various cellular activities, researchers had previously avoided them for programmable applications because customizing their "keys" was challenging, literally requiring researchers to direct the evolution of the receptors for years to create just one desired option.

"G-protein coupled receptors, normally, can be activated by specific small molecules that bind in a pocket in the receptor," explained Nicholas Kalogriopoulos, a postdoctoral fellow in the Ting lab and co-lead author of the paper.

"It is as if G-protein signalling causes the channel to need more 'persuasion' -- in terms of stronger electrical signals -- to open. In our study, we describe at the molecular level how this is done," says Antonios Pantazis.

The allosteric binding region is located between TAS2R14 and its coupled G protein is called G-protein alpha.

This region is critical to form a signaling complex, which helps to transfer the signal from the taste receptor to the G-protein to the taste receptor cells.