Cloning and chromosomal mapping of the mouse and human genes encoding the orphan glucocorticoid-induced receptor (GPR83)

The mouse glucocorticoid-induced receptor (GIR) is an orphan G protein-coup led receptor highly expressed in brain and thymus (Harrigan et al., 1989; 1 991). We have cloned the mouse GIR gene (Gpr83), determined its genomic org anization and compared it with the human gene. The genomic organization of the gene is similar in both species although differences leading to specifi c splicing variants in the mouse have been found. Three introns interruptin g the coding sequence are common to both mouse and human. A short sequence in the second intron of the mouse gene can be alternatively spliced in, lea ding to an insertion in the second intracellular loop of the receptor. This insertion constitutes an additional exon which is not present in the human genome. The human CIR polypeptide shares 89.5 % and 91.5 % identity with i ts mouse and dog orthologs respectively. Splice variants lacking the first extracellular loop and the third transmembrane domain have been found in hu man and mouse species. The receptor variants resulting from these minor tra nscripts are likely to be non functional. Comparative genetic mapping of th e Gpr83 gene showed that it maps to regions of conserved synteny on mouse c hromosome 9 (A2-3 region) and human chromosome 11(q21 region). Copyright (C) 2000 S. Karger AG, Basel.