Drosophila g protein coupled receptors, nucleic acids, and mehtods related to the same

Abstract

The present invention provides a Drosophila melanogaster GPCR (DmGPCR) polypeptides and polynucleotides which identify and encode such a DmGPCR. In addition, the invention provides expression vectors, host cells and methods for its production. The invention also provides methods for the identification of homologs in other animals, and of DmGPCR agonists/antagonists, useful for the treatment of diseases in animals and for the control of insects that are injurious or harmful to plants or animals.

1 .- 62 . (canceled) 
     
     
         63 . A method for identifying a modulator of binding between a DmGPCR and an allatostatin, comprising the steps of:
 (a) contacting an allatostatin and a composition comprising a DmGPCR in the presence and in the absence of a putative modulator compound;   (b) detecting binding between the allatostatin and the DmGPCR; and   (c) determining whether binding in the presence of said putative modulator is increased or decreased compared to binding in the absence of said putative modulator compound, whereby putative modulator compounds that increase or decrease binding are identified as binding modulators;   wherein the DmGPCR is DmGPCR4 that binds to an allatostatin and has a sequence with at least 90% sequence homology to SEQ ID NO:8; and   
       wherein the allatostatin is a peptide having a sequence selected from the group consisting of SEQ ID NO:34, SEQ ID NO:35, and SEQ ID NO:36, and SEQ ID NO:37. 
     
     
         64 . The method of  claim 63  wherein the allatostatin is a peptide having a sequence of SEQ ID NO:34. 
     
     
         65 . The method of  claim 63  wherein the allatostatin is a peptide having a sequence of SEQ ID NO:35. 
     
     
         66 . The method of  claim 63  wherein the allatostatin is a peptide having a sequence of SEQ ID NO:36. 
     
     
         67 . The method of  claim 63  wherein the allatostatin is a peptide having a sequence of SEQ ID NO:37. 
     
     
         68 . The method of  claim 63  wherein the DmGPCR4 has a sequence with at least 95% sequence homology to SEQ ID NO:8. 
     
     
         69 . The method of  claim 63  wherein the DmGPCR4 has a sequence with at least 99% sequence homology to SEQ ID NO:8. 
     
     
         70 . The method of  claim 63  wherein modulation of binding is determined by a gel-shift assay. 
     
     
         71 . The method of  claim 63  wherein modulation of binding is determined by a protein binding assay. 
     
     
         72 . The method of  claim 63  further comprising characterizing one or more properties of the binding modulator. 
     
     
         73 . The method of  claim 72  wherein the one or more properties of the binding modulator are physical, biological or biochemical properties. 
     
     
         74 . The method of  claim 63  wherein the DmGPCR4 has a sequence of at least 95% sequence homology to SEQ ID NO:8. 
     
     
         75 . The method of  claim 63  wherein the DmGPCR4 has a sequence of at least 99% sequence homology to SEQ ID NO:8. 
     
     
         76 . A method for identifying a modulator of binding between a DmGPCR and an allatostatin, comprising the steps of:
 (a) contacting an allatostatin and a composition comprising a DmGPCR in the presence and in the absence of a putative modulator compound;   (b) detecting binding between the allatostatin and the DmGPCR; and   (c) determining whether binding in the presence of said putative modulator is increased or decreased compared to binding in the absence of said putative modulator compound, whereby putative modulator compounds that increase or decrease binding are identified as binding modulators;   
       wherein the DmGPCR is DmGPCR4 that has the sequence of SEQ ID NO:8; and 
       wherein the allatostatin is a peptide having the sequence selected from the group consisting of SEQ ID NO:34, SEQ ID NO: 35, SEQ ID NO:36, and SEQ ID NO:37 
     
     
         77 . The method of  claim 76  wherein modulation of binding is determined by a protein binding assay. 
     
     
         78 . The method of  claim 76  further comprising characterizing one or more properties of the binding modulator. 
     
     
         79 . The method of  claim 78  wherein the one or more properties of the binding modulator are physical, biological or biochemical properties. 
     
     
         80 . The method of  claim 76  wherein modulation of binding is determined by a gel-shift assay.