CLONING AND CHROMOSOMAL LOCALIZATION OF A GENE (GPR18) ENCODING A NOVEL-7 TRANSMEMBRANE RECEPTOR HIGHLY EXPRESSED IN SPLEEN AND TESTIS

Using the techniques of relaxed stringency polymerase ase chain reacti on and genomic library screening, we have isolated homologous canine a nd human genes that encode a novel putative seven transmembrane G-prot ein-linked receptor, The gene encodes an open reading frame (ORF) of 9 93 bp. The sequences of the canine and human ORFs are highly conserved , sharing 89% nucleotide identity and 92% amino acid similarity betwee n the two species, Northern blot analysis demonstrates that mRNA trans cripts of the gene are abundantly expressed in testis and spleen with a lesser degree of expression observed in several other tissues associ ated with endocrine and immunologic/hematologic function, The gene, de signated GPR18, was localized to human chromosome 13q32 using fluoresc ence in situ hybridization. (C) 1997 Academic Press.