[thedoc (OP)]

Hi Chris,

I was just idly thinking out loud at work the other day, when I asked...

"...whether there's a gene which codes whether an individual loves or hates Marmite..." "...and if so, if it might also be a marker for something else useful in medicine."

Do you know the answer? Does anyone know the answer?

Regards,

Andrew
Stapleford, Cambridge.
Asked by Andrew Steer


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[Don_1]

I wouldn't have thought that genetics has any influence over likes and dislikes of any sort, even taste. I think it probable that you could find identcal twins where one likes and the other dislikes Marmite.

[schneebfloob]

It is entirely possible. Here is quite an interesting chemical that exhibits an interesting property:  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phenylthiocarbamide (apologies for the ugly link). Some people don't notice this, whilst other people can become almost sick because of the taste.

Off-hand, I don't know if there's a gene for liking marmite. But, bearing this chemical in mind, and knowing that genetics is involved in being able to taste it, then I really don't see why not.

[Geezer]

There seems to be a gene for liking cilantro. I don't seem to have it.

[Don_1]

A gene may make an individual more or less sensative to something, but does it determine like or dislike?

[schneebfloob]

Whether or not you like something surely must depend on how it tastes to you. Since the genetic makeup of an individual may make them more or less sensitive to a particular compound in some foodstuff (i.e. affects how it tastes to that individual), then surely isn't that at least contributing to whether or not they like it?

To what degree genes determine taste I am uncertain. It is known that the ability to smell plays a huge role in taste, and I seem to think I was reading somewhere recently about a lady who lost her sense of smell, and with it her ability to taste food. The sense of smell involves chemo-receptors in the nose, and genetics could potentially play a huge role in taste on this basis.

[thedoc (OP)]

We discussed this question on our  show
Diana -  I'm going to say that I'm ambivalent towards marmite in small quantities. Actually, there is a gene which determines how sensitive people are to compounds called phenylthiocarbamide and propil thiouracil. You find these bitter compounds in things like cabbage and grape seed. Now some people are very sensitive to these bitter compounds and some can't taste them at all and this is genetically determined. Apparently, it’s sitting somewhere on chromosome 7. It’s thought that maybe the people who can't take these PTC- like compounds are very sensitive to bitter things like grapefruit, tea, coffee, as well as cabbage and other cruciferous vegetables. So, it may be that Marmite is related. It’s got that bitterness element in it.
Click to visit the show page for the podcast in which this question is answered. Alternatively, [chapter podcast=4039 track=12.07.15/Naked_Scientists_Show_12.07.15_10478.mp3] listen to the answer now[/chapter] or [download as MP3]

[Kevin]

I don't just like Marmite ... I absolutely LOVE it. As I savour it, I do wonder how on earth people can actually HATE it?! So I wouldn't be surprised at all if there was a genetic basis ...

[Kevin]

Okay, here's my theory: some people have a gene that makes Marmite taste as horrid as it looks. Whether those without the gene love it (like me) or are ambivalent (like a previous commenter) might have more to do with how early in life it was introduced to them, what warm fuzzy associations they have from childhood, etc.

[Simon]

I doubt it is the same gene as propylthiouracil. PTU tastes disgusting to me, marmite is lovely to me, but I suspect it is genetic.