THE HUMAN DOPAMINE-D2 RECEPTOR GENE IS LOCATED ON CHROMOSOME-II AT Q22-Q23 AND IDENTIFIES A TAQL RFLP

Abstract

Human dopaminergic neurons are involved in the control of hormone secretion, voluntary movement, and emotional behavior. Mediating these effects are the dopamine D1 and D2 receptors. The macromolecules belong to a large family of related sequences known as the G protein-coupled receptors. The D2 receptors have been of special interest because they bind, with high affinity and specificity, many of the commonly prescribed antipsychotic drugs. We previously isolated a full-length cDNA clone of the rat D2 receptor. When a chromosome mapping panel was probed with the rat D2 receptor cDNA a 15-kb EcoRI restriction fragment was identified and localized to human chromosome 11. The rat cDNA was also used to clone a human genomic fragment, .lambda.hD2G1, which contains the last coding exon of the D2 receptor gene (DRD2) and 16.5 kg of 3'' flanking sequence. Hybridization of .lambda.hD2G1 to a chrmosome 11 regional mapping panel localized DRD2 to 11q. In situ hybridization of .lambda.hD2G1 to metaphase chromosomes refined thsi assignment to q22-q23 junction of chromosome 11. A search for RFLPs associated with D2DR identified a frequent two-allele TaqI RFLP.