Mu opioid receptor methods

Abstract

The invention relates generally to compositions of and methods for obtaining mu opioid receptor polypeptides. The invention relates as well to polynucleotides encoding mu opioid receptor polypeptides, the recombinant vectors carrying those sequences, the recombinant host cells including either the sequences or vectors, and recombinant opioid receptor polypeptides. The invention includes as well, methods for using the isolated, recombinant receptor polypeptide in assays designed to select and improve substances capable of interacting with mu opioid receptor polypeptides for use in diagnostic, drug design and therapeutic applications.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . An isolated and purified polynucleotide that encodes a mu opioid receptor polypeptide.  
     
     
         2 . The isolated and purified polynucleotide of  claim 1 , wherein said polynucleotide is a DNA molecule.  
     
     
         3 . The DNA molecule of  claim 2 , wherein said encoded polypeptide comprises the amino acid residue sequence of SEQ ID NO:2.  
     
     
         4 . The isolated and purified polynucleotide of  claim 1 , wherein said polynucleotide comprises the nucleotide base sequence of SEQ ID NO:1.  
     
     
         5 . An isolated and purified polynucleotide that encodes a gene transcription regulatory polypeptide.  
     
     
         6 . The DNA molecule of  claim 5 , wherein said encoded polypeptide comprises the amino acid residue sequence of SEQ ID NO:4.  
     
     
         7 . The isolated and purified polynucleotide of  claim 5 , wherein said polynucleotide comprises the nucleotide base sequence of SEQ ID NO:3.  
     
     
         8 . An isolated and purified polynucleotide comprising a base sequence that is identical or complementary to a segment of at least 10 contiguous bases of SEQ ID NO: 1 or SEQ ID NO: 3, wherein said polynucleotide hybridizes to a polynucleotide that encodes a mu opioid receptor polypeptide or a gene transcription regulatory polypeptide.  
     
     
         9 . An isolated and purified mu opioid receptor polypeptide.  
     
     
         10 . The opioid receptor polypeptide of  claim 9 , wherein the polypeptide is a recombinant polypeptide.  
     
     
         11 . The opioid receptor polypeptide of  claim 9  that comprises the amino acid residue sequence of SEQ ID NO:2.  
     
     
         12 . An isolated and purified gene transcription regulatory polypeptide that comprises the amino acid residue sequence of SEQ ID NO:4.  
     
     
         13 . An expression vector comprising a polynucleotide that encodes a mu opioid receptor polypeptide.  
     
     
         14 . A recombinant host cell transfected with a polynucleotide that encodes a mu opioid receptor polypeptide.  
     
     
         15 . A process of preparing a mu opioid receptor polypeptide comprising: 
 (a) transfecting a cell with a polynucleotide that encodes said polypeptide to produce a transformed host cell; and    (b) maintaining the transformed host cell under biological conditions sufficient for expression of the polypeptide.    
     
     
         16 . An antibody immunoreactive with a mu opioid receptor polypeptide.  
     
     
         17 . A process of detecting a mu opioid receptor polypeptide, wherein the process comprises: 
 (a) immunoreacting said polypeptide with the antibody of  claim 16  to form an antibody-polypeptide conjugate; and    (b) detecting the conjugate.    
     
     
         18 . A process of screening a substance for its ability to interact with a mu opioid receptor, said process comprising the steps of: 
 a) providing a mu opioid receptor polypeptide;    b) testing the ability of said substance to interact with said opioid receptor.