Molecular cloning of the gene encoding the mouse parathyroid hormone/parathyroid hormone-related peptide receptor

The parathyroid hormone/parathyroid hormone-related peptide receptor (PTHR) is a G-protein-coupled receptor containing seven predicted transmembrane domains. We have isolated and characterized recombinant bacteriophage lambda EMBL3 genomic clones containing the mouse PTHR gene, including 10 kilobases of the promoter region. The gene spans > 32 kilobases and is divided into 15 exons, 8 of which contain the transmembrane domains. The PTHR exons containing the predicted membrane-spanning domains are heterogeneous in length and three of the exon-intron boundaries fall within putative transmembrane sequences, suggesting that the exons did not arise from duplication events. This arrangement is closely related to that of the growth hormone releasing factor receptor gene, particularly in the transmembrane region, providing strong evidence that the two genes evolved from a common precursor. Transcription is initiated principally at a series of sites over a 15-base-pair region. The proximal promoter region is highly (G+C)-rich and lacks an apparent TATA box or initiator element homologies but does contain CCGCCC motifs. The presumptive amino acid sequence of the encoded receptor is 99%, 91%, and 76% identical to those of the rat, human, and opossum receptors, respectively. There is no consensus polyadenylation signal in the 3' untranslated region. The poly(A) tail of the PTHR transcript begins 32 bases downstream of a 35-base-long A-rich sequence, suggesting that this region directs polyadenylylation.