Mammalian adrenocorticotropic hormone receptors and uses

Abstract

The present invention relates to a mammalian adrenocorticotropic hormone receptor. The invention is directed toward the isolation, characterization and pharmacological use of mammalian adrenocorticotropic hormone receptor, the gene corresponding to this receptor, a recombinant eukaryotic expression construct capable of expressing a mammalian adrenocorticotropic hormone receptor in cultures of transformed eukaryotic cells and such cultures of transformed eukaryotic cells that synthesize mammalian adrenocorticotropic hormone receptor. The invention also provides for screening ACTH R agonists and antagonists in vitro using preparations of receptor from such cultures of eukaryotic cells transformed with a recombinant eukaryotic expression construct comprising the ACTH R receptor gene. The invention specifically provides human and bovine ACTH R genes.

We claim:  
     
         1 . An isolated nucleic acid encoding a mammalian adrenocorticotropic hormone receptor having an amino acid sequence that is 39% identical and co-linear, excluding the third intracellular loop and carboxy-terminal tail, to human melanocyte stimulating hormone receptor.  
     
     
         2 . A cell membrane preparation comprising a mammalian adrenocorticotropic hormone receptor having an amino acid sequence identified by SEQ ID NO.4 or SEQ ID NO.6 and produced by a cell that expresses a recombinant expression vector encoding the mammalian adrenocorticotropic hormone receptor.  
     
     
         3 . The cell membrane preparation of  claim 2 , wherein the mammalian adrenocorticotropic hormone receptor has an amino acid sequence identified by SEQ ID NO.4.  
     
     
         4 . The cell membrane preparation of  claim 2 , wherein the mammalian adrenocorticotropic hormone receptor has an amino acid sequence identified by SEQ ID NO.6.