title: An invertebrate G-protein coupled receptor is a chimeric cannabinoid/melanocortin receptor.
abstract: Analysis of a G-protein coupled receptor fragment isolated from the leech CNS reveals that it is a chimeric cannabinoid/melanocortin receptor. Two regions of the leech sequence display high levels of amino acid identity with mammalian cannabinoid receptors while a third region is 98% identical to part of the bovine adrenocorticotropic hormone receptor. The leech receptor may therefore resemble the putative ancestor of mammalian cannabinoid and melanocortin receptors.
authors.affiliation: School of Biological Sciences, Queen Mary and Westfield College, University of London, UK. m.r.elphick@qmw.ac.uk
authors.forename: M R
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: Elphick
mesh_terms: D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D002186:Cannabinoids / Q000378:metabolism*; D002417:Cattle; D019204:GTP-Binding Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D007865:Leeches; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D043882:Receptors, Cannabinoid; D011956:Receptors, Cell Surface / Q000378:metabolism*; D018043:Receptors, Corticotropin / Q000378:metabolism*; D011955:Receptors, Drug / Q000378:metabolism*; D044101:Receptors, Melanocortin; D011993:Recombinant Fusion Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D017386:Sequence Homology, Amino Acid
chemical_list: D002186:Cannabinoids; D043882:Receptors, Cannabinoid; D011956:Receptors, Cell Surface; D018043:Receptors, Corticotropin; D011955:Receptors, Drug; D044101:Receptors, Melanocortin; D011993:Recombinant Fusion Proteins; D019204:GTP-Binding Proteins