Molecular identification of a Drosophila G protein-coupled receptor specific for crustacean cardioactive peptide

The Drosophila Genome Project website ( www.flybase.org ) contains the sequence of an annotated gene (CG6111) expected to code for a G protein-coupled receptor. We have cloned this receptor and found that its gene was not correctly predicted, because an annotated neighbouring gene (CG14547) was also part of the receptor gene. DNA corresponding to the corrected gene CG6111 was expressed in Chinese hamster ovary cells, where it was found to code for a receptor that could be activated by low concentrations of crustacean cardioactive peptide, which is a neuropeptide also known to occur in Drosophila and other insects (EC 50 , 5.4×10 −10 M). Other known Drosophila neuropeptides, such as adipokinetic hormone, did not activate the receptor. The receptor is expressed in all developmental stages from Drosophila , but only very weakly in larvae. In adult flies, the receptor is mainly expressed in the head. Furthermore, we identified a gene sequence in the genomic database from the malaria mosquito Anopheles gambiae that very likely codes for a crustacean cardioactive peptide receptor.