Cloning of ligand-specific cell lines via gene transfer: identification of a D2 dopamine receptor subtype.

Using rat genomic DNA, we have established a transfected mouse fibroblast cell line that expresses a spiperone binding site with the pharmacological characteristics of a D2 dopamine receptor. The expressed D2 receptors are the product of a gene that is distinct from that reported by Bunzow et al. [Bunzow, J. R., Van Tol, H. H. M., Granoly, D. K., Albert, P., Salon, J., Christie, M., Machida, C. A., Neve, K. A. & Civelli, O. (1988) Nature (London) 336, 783-787]. Flow cytometry with the Ca2+-sensitive dye indo-1 demonstrated that activation of the expressed D2 sites resulted in increases in intracellular calcium that were dependent on the influx of external Ca2+. These general cloning procedures should be applicable to the production of cell lines expressing a variety of genes for which only functional assays are available.