Two cDNA clones, λ-CLFV-108 and λ-CLFV-119, encoding for the β-adrenergic receptor, have been isolated from a human brain stem cDNA library. One human genomic clone, LCV-517 (20 kb), was characterized by restriction mapping and partial sequencing. The human brain β-receptor consists of 413 amino acids with a calculated M r of 46 480. The gene contains three potential glucocorticoid receptor-binding sites. The β-receptor expressed in human brain was homology with rodent (88%) and avian (52%) β-receptors and with porcine muscarinic cholinergic receptors (31%), supporting our proposal [(1984) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci USA 81, 272-276] that adrenergic and muscarinic cholinergic receptors are structurally related. This represents the first cloning of a neurotransmitter receptor gene from human brain.
