Nucleotide sequence of a human cannabinoid receptor cDNA.

We described previously the cloning of putative G protein-coupled receptor by selective amplification using the polymerase chain reaction and degenerate primers corresponding to conserved regions of known receptors (1). This approach led to the cloning of the TSH receptor (2). Amongst the other characterized clones, HGMP08 appeared as preferentially expressed in the brain. The full coding region was isolated by screening a human brain stem library constructed in lambda gt l l . Sequencing on both strands was performed after subcloning in M13mp derivatives. This clone was identified as a human cannabinoid receptor clone, based on its high similarity with the rat cannabinoid receptor cDNA published recently (3). Human and rat sequences are 90% identical in terms of nucleotides and 98% in terms of amino acids. Complete functional characterization is now under investigation.