CLONING GENES ENCODING RECEPTORS RELATED TO CHEMOATTRACTANT RECEPTORS

We report the cloning of a novel human gene (GPR32) encoding a putativ e G-protein-coupled receptor (GPCR) of 356 amino acids and a related p seudogene psi GPR32. The deduced amino acid sequence of GPR32 shares 3 5-39% identity with members of the chemoattractant receptor family. ps i GPR32 shares 93% nucleotide identity with GPR32. We identified a mou se EST encoding a putative GPCR (GPR33) of 309 amino acids. The deduce d amino acid sequence of GPR33 shares 30-35% identity with members of the chemoattractant receptor family and 36% identity with the receptor encoded by GPR32. The human orthologue of GPR33 contains a single bas epair substitution with respect to the mouse, resulting in the presenc e of an in-frame stop codon within the predicted second intracellular loop, demonstrating that it is a pseudogene. Through fluorescence in s itu hybridization and physical mapping of YACs, both GPR32 and psi GPR 32 were mapped to chromosomal 19, region q13.3, while psi GPR33 was ma pped to chromosome 14q12. (C) 1998 Academic Press.