Novel GPCR-like proteins and nucleic acids encoding same

An isolated nucleic acid molecule comprising a nucleic acid sequence encoding a polypeptide comprising an amino acid sequence selected from the group consisting of:

• (a) a mature form of an amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:2;
• (b) a variant of a mature form of an amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:2, wherein one or more amino acid residues in said variant differs from the amino acid sequence of said mature form, provided that said variant differs in no more than 15% of the amino acid residues from the amino acid sequence of said mature form;
• (c) an amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:2;
• (d) a variant of an amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:2, wherein one or more amino acid residues in said variant differs from the amino acid sequence of said mature form, provided that said variant differs in no more than 15% of amino acid residues from said amino acid sequence;
• (e) a nucleic acid fragment encoding at least a portion of a polypeptide comprising an amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:2, or a variant of said polypeptide, wherein one or more amino acid residues in said variant differs from the amino acid sequence of said mature form, provided that said variant differs in no more than 15% of amino acid residues from said amino acid sequence;
• and
• (f) a nucleic acid molecule comprising the complement of (a), (b), (c), (d) or (e).

A method for identifying a compound that interacts with an olfactory receptor polypeptide, the method comprising:

• a) providing a polypeptide of SEQ ID NO:2, or a peptide fragment or a variant thereof;
• b) contacting said polypeptide with a candidate compound;
• and
• c) detecting a complex, if present, between said polypeptide and said candidate compound
• wherein the presence of a complex indicates that the candidate compound interacts with an olfactory receptor polypeptide.

A method for identifying a compound that interacts with an olfactory receptor polypeptide, the method comprising:

• a) providing a eukaryotic host cell containing a recombinant nucleic acid encoding a polypeptide comprising the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:2;
• b) culturing said cell under conditions allowing for the expression of said polypeptide
• c) contacting said culture with a candidate compound;
• and
• d) detecting a second messenger metabolite, if present, in said culture
• wherein an alteration in levels of said second messenger metabolite in the presence of the candidate compound as compared to the levels of said second messenger metabolite in the absence of said candidate compound indicates that the candidate compound interacts with an olfactory receptor polypeptide.

A method for identifying a compound that interacts with an olfactory receptor polypeptide, the method comprising:

• a) providing an olfactory epithelial cell transfected with an adenovirus containing a nucleic acid encoding a polypeptide comprising the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:2;
• b) contacting said olfactory epithelial cell with a candidate compound;
• and
• c) detecting a response, if present, in said cell
• wherein an alteration in response in the presence of the candidate compound as compared to the response in the absence of said candidate compound indicates that the candidate compound interacts with an olfactory receptor polypeptide.