Variation in haplotype frequencies of the TAS2R38 gene, associated with the perception of bitter taste

Introduction: Bitter taste perception is a genetic trait that influences food preferences and alcohol consumption behavior. This study investigates the variation in haplotype frequencies of the TAS2R38 gene, associated with sensitivity to bitter compounds, in 26 populations from diverse geographic regions. Three single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) are analyzed: rs713598, rs1726866 and rs10246939, which determine haplotypes such as PAV and AVI. Objectives: The objective is to analyze the variation in haplotype frequencies of the TAS2R38 gene, which is associated with bitter taste perception, in 26 populations.Methods: Data from the 1000 Genomes Project were used, analyzing 5,008 genotyped chromosomes from 26 populations grouped into five macro-populations: African, American, East Asian, European and South Asian. Haplotype and diplotype frequencies were calculated, assessing Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium by Chi-square test (p<0.05) using R software.Results: The results showed that the overall frequency of TAS2R38 diplotypes is 32% for PAV/PAV, 44% for PAV/AVI and 24% for AVI/AVI. African populations presented a high frequency of PAV/AVI (46.4%), while European populations showed a higher prevalence of AVI/AVI (31.5%). Significant deviations in observed versus expected frequencies were identified.Conclusions: The variation in haplotype frequencies of the TAS2R38 gene reflects evolutionary adaptation to different dietary environments. These findings suggest that bitter taste genetics may influence food preferences and consumption behavior