The TAS2R38 gene encodes a receptor protein that influences the ability to taste bitterness. The gene has two alleles: a dominant, wild-type allele that enables an individual (taster) to taste bitterness and a recessive, mutant allele that interferes with the ability of an individual (nontaster) to taste bitterness. Three single nucleotide mutations in the coding region of the TAS2R38 gene are associated with the nontaster allele. The nucleotides present at the three positions are shown in the table below.

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