G Protein Coupled Receptor 81 (GPR81)

G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs, or GPRs), such as GPR81, contain 7 transmembrane domains and transduce extracellular signals through heterotrimeric G proteins.

PCR primers were designed to amplify and clone GPR81 from a genomic library. Full-length GPR81 encodes a deduced 347-amino acid protein that shares 70%, 43%, and 37% sequence identity in the transmembrane regions with the chemokine receptor HM74, GPR31 , and the purinoceptor P2Y1, respectively. Northern blot analysis revealed a 1.0-kb transcript in human pituitary tissue, but not in any other brain region examined.GPR81 expression in adipose tissue. Little to no expression was detected in all other tissues examined.