Many compounds taste sweet to humans. Sweet taste results when a molecule binds to the sweet receptor, one type of taste receptor, on the surface of certain tongue cells. The stronger the binding, the lower the concentration required to saturate the receptor and the sweeter a givenconcentration of that substance tastes. The standard free-energy change, ΔG°, of the binding reaction between a sweet molecule and a sweet receptor can be measured in kilojoules or kilocalories per mole.Sweet taste can be quantified in units of “molar relative sweetness” (MRS), a measure that compares the sweetness of a substance to the sweetness of sucrose. For example, saccharin has an MRS of 161; this means that saccharin is 161 times sweeter than sucrose. In practical terms, this is measured by asking human subjects to compare the sweetness ofsolutions containing different concentrations of each compound. Sucrose and saccharin taste equally sweet when sucrose is at a concentration 161 times higher than that of saccharin.(a) What is the relationship between MRS and the ΔG° of the binding reaction? Specifically, would a more negative ΔG° correspond to a higher or lower MRS? Explain your reasoning.
Many compounds taste sweet to humans. Sweet taste results when a molecule binds to the sweet receptor, one type of taste receptor, on the surface of certain tongue cells. The stronger the binding, the lower the concentration required to saturate the receptor and the sweeter a given
concentration of that substance tastes. The standard free-energy change, ΔG°, of the binding reaction between a sweet molecule and a sweet receptor can be measured in kilojoules or kilocalories per mole.
Sweet taste can be quantified in units of “molar relative sweetness” (MRS), a measure that compares the sweetness of a substance to the sweetness of sucrose. For example, saccharin has an MRS of 161; this means that saccharin is 161 times sweeter than sucrose. In practical terms, this is measured by asking human subjects to compare the sweetness of
solutions containing different concentrations of each compound. Sucrose and saccharin taste equally sweet when sucrose is at a concentration 161 times higher than that of saccharin.
(a) What is the relationship between MRS and the ΔG° of the binding reaction? Specifically, would a more negative ΔG° correspond to a higher or lower MRS? Explain your reasoning.
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