Data from: Synergism, bifunctionality, and the evolution of a gradual sensory trade-off in hummingbird taste receptors

Sensory receptor evolution can imply trade-offs between ligands, but the extent to which such trade-offs occur and the underlying processes shaping their evolution is not well understood. For example, hummingbirds have re-purposed their ancestral savory receptor (T1R1-T1R3) to detect sugars, but the impact of this sensory shift on amino acid perception is unclear. Here, we use functional and behavioral approaches to show that the hummingbird T1R1-T1R3 acts as a bifunctional receptor responsive to both sugars and amino acids. Our comparative analyses reveal substantial functional diversity across the hummingbird radiation and suggest an evolutionary timeline for T1R1-T1R3 re-tuning. Finally, we identify a novel form of synergism between sugars and amino acids in vertebrate taste receptors. This work uncovers an unexplored axis of sensory diversity, suggesting new ways in which nectar chemistry and pollinator preferences can coevolve.感官受体的演化往往伴随配体间的权衡效应，但这类权衡的发生范围及塑造其演化的内在过程尚未得到充分阐明。例如，蜂鸟已将其祖先的鲜味受体（T1R1-T1R3）重新特化以感知糖类，然而这一感官转变对氨基酸感知的影响尚不明确。本研究通过功能实验与行为学方法，证实蜂鸟的T1R1-T1R3属于可同时响应糖类与氨基酸的双功能受体。我们的比较分析揭示了蜂鸟辐射演化类群中显著的功能多样性，并提出了T1R1-T1R3受体重调谐的演化时间线。最后，我们在脊椎动物味觉受体中发现了一种全新的糖类与氨基酸间的协同作用模式。本研究揭示了此前未被探索的感官多样性维度，为花蜜化学特征与传粉者偏好的协同演化开辟了全新的研究方向。