The present invention aims at providing a useful and novel G
protein-coupled receptor protein and DNA thereof.The G protein-coupled
receptor protein of the present invention and the like, and the
polynucleotides encoding the receptor protein and the like, are useful
for; 1) determination of ligands (agonists); 2) preparation of antibodies
and antisera; 3) construction of recombinant receptor protein expression
systems; 4) development of the receptor binding assay systems using the
expression systems and screening of pharmaceutical candidate compounds;
5) effecting drug design based on comparison with structurally similar
ligand receptors; 6) reagents for preparation of probes and PCR primers
for gene diagnosis; 7) production of transgenic animals; and 8)
pharmaceutical drugs for the gene prophylaxis and gene therapy.