Ability to Taste PTC Is Inherited

The ability to taste PTC is controlled by a receptor gene that has two common alleles.

One allele produces a taste receptor that binds PTC. People with this allele are PTC “tasters.”

The other allele produces a receptor that does not bind PTC. People with two copies of this allele are “non-tasters.”

Figures of a man, woman, and two children. The man has a pair of one allele and is labeled Taster. The woman has a pair of the other allele and is labeled Non-taster. The daughter and son each have one of each allele and are labeled Taster.
The offspring of a taster and non-taster are tasters.