Different domains of the ORL1 and κ-opioid receptors are involved in recognition of nociceptin and dynorphin A

In order to gain further insight into the functional architecture of structurally related G protein-coupled receptors, the ORL1 (nociceptin) and opioid receptors, we have constructed chimeras of ORL1 and mu-, delta and kappa-opioid receptors, and compared their binding and functional properties with those of the parent receptors, We find in particular that a ORL1-kappa-opioid (O-K) hybrid construct has retained high affinity for non-type-selective opiate ligands, and has acquired the ability to bind and respond to enkephalins and mu- and/or delta-opioid receptor-selective enkephalins analogs, thus behaving like a 'universal' opioid receptor, Most significantly however, whilst the ORL1 and kappa-opioid receptors display high binding preference (K-D 0.1 vs. 100 nM) for their respective endogenous ligands, nociceptin and dynorphin A, the O-K chimeric receptor binds both nociceptin and dynorphin A, with high affinity (K-D < 1 nM). Together, these data (i) add weight to the hypothesis that the extracellular loops of opioid receptors act as a filter for ligand selection, and (ii) demonstrate that different domains of the ORL1 and kappa-opioid receptors are involved in recognition of their endogenous peptide ligands. (C) 1998 Federation of European Biochemical Societies.