TAS2R16 mediates the detection of naturally occurring bitter compounds such as salicin, amygdalin, arbutin, helicin, sinigrin, and phenyl beta-D-glucopyranoside. Several of these compounds have pharmacological effects and are present in human food. For example, arbutin is present in pears, bearberries, and wheat and has been reported to be a strong inhibitor of bladder cancer proliferation. Amygdalin is found in several fruit seeds and has been reported to have apoptotic activity and to inhibit cell cycle genes, although its real effect on cancer remains controversial. Sinigrin is found in plants of the Brassicaceae family such as broccoli, Brussels sprouts, and the seeds of black mustard. It has been proposed to have a preventive effect on colorectal cancer and to inhibit bladder cancer. The bark and leaf of willow species contain the prodrug salicin; following absorption, salicin is metabolized into various salicylate derivatives. Salicin has effects similar to aspirin (acetylsalicylic acid) on analgesia and as an anti-inflammatory agent. These reports point to a role for the TAS2R16 receptor in recognizing beneficial molecules with which the organism interacts during life. Impaired function of the receptor might affect the efficacy of various compounds and lead to long-term disadvantages for the organism.

In conclusion, our findings suggest that variation in TAS2R16 receptor function due to genetic polymorphisms may modulate how many beneficial and harmful molecules an organism interacts with during life. Additionally, our results support a role of variation in the TAS2R16 receptor in recognizing and modulating the effect of both beneficial and harmful molecules. 

The Supporting Information section includes tables showing the genes and SNPs selected for the study, logistic regression analysis for taste SNPs, haplotypes of different genes, and their association with longevity. The author contributions and acknowledgments are also included. 

References to related studies are provided at the end of the article.These are references for scientific articles on topics related to genetics, nutrition, and longevity. They have been listed in an unformatted manner. 

PROCESSED TEXT: 

Kerber RA, O'Brien E, Smith KR, Cawthon RM. (2001) Familial excess longevity in Utah genealogies. J Gerontol A Biol Sci Med Sci: B.
Montesanto A, Latorre V, Giordano M, Martino C, Domma F, et al. (2012) The genetic component of human longevity: analysis of the survival advantage of parents and siblings of Italian nonagenarians. Eur J Hum Genet.
Perls T, Shea-Drinkwater M, Bowen-Flynn J, Ridge SB, Kang S, et al. (2000) Exceptional familial clustering for extreme longevity in humans. J Am Geriatr Soc.
Perls T, Terry DF, Silver M, Shea M, Bowen J, et al. (2002) Centenarians and the genetics of longevity. Results Probl Cell Differ.
Perls TT, Wilmoth J, Levenson R, Drinkwater M, Cohen M, et al. (2002) Lifelong sustained mortality advantage of siblings of centenarians. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A.
Schoenmaker M, de Craen AJ, de Meijer PH, Beekman M, Blauw GJ, et al. (2006) Evidence of genetic enrichment for exceptional survival using a family approach: the Leiden Longevity Study. Eur J Hum Genet.
Willcox BJ, Willcox DC, He Q, Curb JD, Suzuki M (2006) Siblings of Okinawan centenarians share lifelong mortality advantages. J Gerontol A Biol Sci Med Sci.
Herskind AM, Due Mue , Holm NV, Sorensen TI, Harvald B, et al. (1996) The heritability of human longevity: a population-based study of Danish twin pairs born. Hum Genet.
Ljungquist B, Berg S, Lanke J, M learn GE, Pedersen NL (1998) The effect of genetic factors for longevity: a comparison of identical and fraternal twins in the Swedish Twin Registry. J Gerontol A Biol Sci Med Sci.
Skytthe A, Pedersen NL, Kaprio J, Stazi MA, Hjelmborg JV, et al. (2006) Longevity studies in GenoUtwin. Twin Res.
Hjelmborg JB, Iachine I, Skytthe A, Vaupel JW, Due Mue , et al. (2006) Genetic influence on human lifespan and longevity. Hum Genet.
Fontana L, Partridge L, Longo VD (2010) Extending healthy lifespan from yeast to humans. Science.
Kenyon CJ (2010) The genetics of ageing. Nature.
Bonafe M, Olivieri F (2013) Genetic polymorphism in long-lived people: cues for the presence of an insulin/IGF-pathway-dependent network affecting human longevity. Mol Cell Endocrinol.
Christensen K, Johnson TE, Vaupel JW (2006) The quest for genetic determinants of human longevity: challenges and insights. Nat Rev Genet.
Chung WH, Dao RL, Chen LK, Hung SI (2010) The role of genetic variants in human longevity. Ageing Res Rev Suppl: S.
Slagboom PE, Beekman M, Passtoors WM, Deelen J, Vaarhorst AA, et al. (2017) Genomics of human longevity. Philos Trans R Soc Lond B Biol Sci.
Parrella E, Longo VD (2010) Insulin/IGF-I and related signaling pathways regulate aging in nondividing cells: from yeast to the mammalian brain. Scientific World Journal.
Fontana L (2009) The scientific basis of caloric restriction leading to longer life. Curr Opin Gastroenterol.
Ford JH (2015) Saturated fatty acid metabolism is key link between cell division, cancer, and senescence in cellular and whole organism aging. Age (Dordr).
Willcox DC, Willcox BJ, Todoriki H, Suzuki M (2009) The Okinawan diet: health implications of a low-calorie, nutrient-dense, antioxidant-rich dietary pattern low in glycemic load. J Am Coll Nutr Suppl: S.
Barker DJ, Osmond C (1986) Infant mortality, childhood nutrition, and ischaemic heart disease in England and Wales. Lancet.
de Magalhaes JP, Wuttke D, Wood SH, Plank M, Vora C (2012) Genome-environment interactions that modulate agingProcessed Text: