title: Ubiquitously expressed GPCR membrane-trafficking orthologs.
abstract: Olfactory receptors are a diverse set of G-protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) that localize to cellular plasma membranes in the olfactory epithelium. Associated trafficking proteins often assist in targeting these GPCRs to the membrane, facilitating function. One such trafficking protein has been isolated as a mutant defective for both odorant response and proper receptor localization in Caenorhabditis elegans. This gene (ODR-4) allows for functional expression of olfactory receptors in heterologous cells that are otherwise incapable of targeting. We have isolated a full-length human cDNA that is homologous to the C. elegans gene at the protein level across nearly the entire gene by using a novel RecA-based gene enrichment procedure. This sequence is homologous to a family of orthologs that share predicted structural features, indicating a conserved function. The gene was expressed in 41 of 44 human, mouse, and rat tissues, suggesting an important role in trafficking olfactory and other GPCRs.
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemical and Materials Engineering, San Jose State University, 1 Washington Square, San Jose, CA 95192-0082, USA.
authors.forename: Chris W
authors.initials: CW
authors.lastname: Lehman
authors.forename: Jaquelina D R
authors.initials: JD
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Claire F
authors.initials: CF
authors.lastname: Komives
mesh_terms: D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D002462:Cell Membrane / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D043562:Receptors, G-Protein-Coupled / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism*; D017386:Sequence Homology, Amino Acid
chemical_list: D043562:Receptors, G-Protein-Coupled