Characterization of the human type 2 neuropeptide Y receptor gene (NPY2R) and localization to the chromosome 4q region containing the type 1 neuropeptide Y receptor gene.

Neuropeptide Y (NPY) signals through a family of G-protein-coupled receptors present in the brain and sympathetic neurons. To further our understanding of the genetic elements involved in the regulation of NPY receptor expression, we have cloned and characterized the human gene encoding the type 2 NPY receptor (Y2 receptor, HGMW-approved symbol NPY2R).2 The transcript spans 9 kb of genomic sequence and is encoded on two exons. As in the type 1 NPY receptor (Y1 receptor) gene, the 5'-untranslated region of the Y2 receptor is interrupted by an intervening sequence ( approximately 4.5 kb). However, the Y2 receptor gene does not contain an intron analogous to that present in the coding region of the Y1 receptor. The predicted transcript size ( approximately 4.5 kb) is consistent with the size observed by Northern analysis. The 381-amino-acid sequence deduced from the open reading frame is identical to that encoded by the cDNA. The Y2 receptor gene maps to human chromosome 4q31, the same region containing the Y1 receptor locus, suggesting that these subtypes may have arisen by gene duplication despite their structural differences.