Gene structural similarity between hCRF-R1 and glucagon receptor family

Corticotropin-releasing factor (CRF) plays a major role in coordinating the endocrine, autonomic, behavioral and immune responses to stress through ac tions both in the brain and the periphery CRF exerts its diverse effects by binding to its specific membrane receptor (CRF-R). Recently three subtypes of CRF-R cDNAs (CRF-R type 1 (CRF-R1). CRF-R type 2 alpha (CRF-R2 alpha) a nd CRF-R type 2 beta (CRF-R2 beta)) were cloned from several species. These clonings revealed that CRF-Rs are members of G-protein-coupled seven-trans membrane receptors and exhibit significant homology to the glucagon recepto r family. In this report, we determined the genomic organization of hCRF-R1. The gene coding for hCRF-R1 consists of at least 14 exons. This fact that the gene is interrupted by many introns was also known to be one of many common prop erties of the glucagon receptor family. Moreover, locations of introns in t he coding sequence are similar with human CRF-R1, rat CRF-R1, human CRF-R2 alpha and others belonging to the human glucagon receptor family.