Abstract: DNA segments have been discovered, and characterized by sequence, which are response elements operative to confer responsiveness to ligands for several members of the steroid/thyroid superfamily of receptors, for the transcriptional activation and/or repression of promoters in cells. By using transcriptional control regions comprising response elements of the present invention in combination with a functional promoter, it is now possible to provide recombinant DNA vectors containing a gene, the transcription (and, thereby, also expression) of which is under the control of a promoter, the transcriptional activity of which is responsive to ligands for members of the steroid/thyroid superfamily of receptors.

Abstract: In accordance with the present invention, it has been discovered that various members of the steroid/thyroid superfamily of receptors can interact to form multimeric species comprising a complex of more than one receptor. Accordingly, the interaction of a first receptor species with a second receptor species modulates the ability of the first receptor species to trans-activate transcription of genes maintained under hormone expression control in the presence of the cognate ligand for said first receptor.

Abstract: A novel gamma retinoic acid receptor is disclosed. The novel receptor is encoded for by cDNA carried on plasmid pGEM-hRAR?, which has been deposited with the American Type Culture Collection for patent purposes. Chimeric receptor proteins are also disclosed. The chimera contain at least one functional domain from the new gamma retinoic acid receptor.

Abstract: A novel gamma retinoic acid receptor is disclosed. The novel receptor is encoded for by cDNA carried on plasmid pGEM-hRAR&ggr;, which has been deposited with the American Type Culture Collection for patent purposes. Chimeric receptor proteins are also disclosed. The chimera contain at least one functional domain from the new gamma retinoic acid receptor.

Abstract: DNA segments have been discovered, and characterized by sequence, which are response elements operative to confer responsiveness to ligands for several members of the steroid/thyroid superfamily of receptors, for the transcriptional activation and/or repression of promoters in cells. By using transcriptional control regions comprising response elements of the present invention in combination with a functional promoter, it is now possible to provide recombinant DNA vectors containing a gene, the transcription (and, thereby, also expression) of which is under the control of a promoter, the transcriptional activity of which is responsive to ligands for members of the steroid/thyroid superfamily of receptors.

Abstract: Heterodimerization is a common paradigm among eucaryotic transcription factors, though it remains unclear how individual monomers contribute to the overall transcriptional activities of the complex. The 9-cis retinoic acid receptor (RXR) serves as a common heterodimerization partner for several nuclear receptors including the thyroid hormone (T3R), retinoic acid (RAR) and vitamin D receptors. A strategy has been devised to examine the transcriptional properties of each receptor individually or when tethered to a heterodimeric partner. It has been found that the intrinsic activity of RXR is masked in RXR-T3R and RXR-RAR heterodimers. In contrast, a novel RXR-Nurrl heterodimer described herein is highly responsive to RXR ligands, suggesting that different partners exert unique allosteric control over the RXR response.

Abstract: In accordance with the present invention, there are provided new members of the steroid receptor superfamily of receptors, a representative member of which has been designated XOR-6. Invention receptors are responsive to hydroxy, mercapto or amino benzoates, and are expressed, for example, in Xenopus laevis embryos. XOR-6 is most closely, although distantly, related to the vitamin D3 receptor (VDR). The proteins are about 73% identical in amino acid sequence in the DNA-binding domains and about 42% identical in the ligand binding domain. Like VDR, XOR-6 has an extended D region between the DNA and ligand binding domains. Notably, the region amino-terminal to the XOR-6 DNA-binding domain is extremely acidic. This may influence its ability to activate target genes. XOR-6 is not restricted to Xenopus because southern blots show the presence of XOR-6-related sequences in a variety of other vertebrates. Indeed, a human genomic clone for an XOR-6 related gene has recently been isolated.

Abstract: DNA segments have been discovered, and characterized by sequence, which are response elements operative to confer responsiveness to ligands for several members of the steroid/thyroid superfamily of receptors, for the transcriptional activation and/or repression of promoters in cells. By using transcriptional control regions comprising response elements of the present invention in combination with a functional promoter, it is now possible to provide recombinant DNA vectors containing a gene, the transcription (and, thereby, also expression) of which is under the control of a promoter, the transcriptional activity of which is responsive to ligands for members of the steroid/thyroid superfamily of receptors.

Abstract: Heterodimerization is a common paradigm among eucaryotic transcription factors, though it remains unclear how individual monomers contribute to the overall transcriptional activities of the complex. The 9-cis retinoic acid receptor (RXR) serves as a common heterodimerization partner for several nuclear receptors including the thyroid hormone (T3R), retinoic acid (RAR) and vitamin D receptors. A strategy has been devised to examine the transcriptional properties of each receptor individually or when tethered to a heterodimeric partner. It has been found that the intrinsic activity of RXR is masked in RXR-T3R and RXR-RAR heterodimers. In contrast, a novel RXR-Nurr1 heterodimer described herein is highly responsive to RXR ligands, suggesting that different partners exert unique allosteric control over the RXR response.

Abstract: A novel gamma retinoic acid receptor is disclosed. The novel receptor is encoded for by cDNA carried on plasmid pGEM-hRAR&ggr;, which has been deposited with the American Type Culture Collection for patent purposes. Chimeric receptor proteins are also disclosed. The chimera contain at least one functional domain from the new gamma retinoic acid receptor.

Abstract: In accordance with the present invention, there are provided new members of the steroid receptor superfamily of receptors, a representative member of which has been designated XOR-6. Invention receptors are responsive to hydroxy, mercapto or amino benzoates, and are expressed, for example, in Xenopus laevis embryos. XOR-6 is most closely, although distantly, related to the vitamin D3 receptor (VDR). The proteins are about 73% identical in amino acid sequence in the DNA-binding domains and about 42% identical in the ligand binding domain. Like VDR, XOR-6 has an extended D region between the DNA and ligand binding domains. Notably, the region amino-terminal to the XOR-6 DNA-binding domain is extremely acidic. This may influence its ability to activate target genes. XOR-6 is not restricted to Xenopus because southern blots show the presence of XOR-6-related sequences in a variety of other vertebrates. Indeed, a human genomic clone for an XOR-6 related gene has recently been isolated.

Abstract: A novel gamma retinoic acid receptor is disclosed. The novel receptor is encoded for by cDNA carried on plasmid pGEM-hRAR&ggr;, which has been deposited with the American Type Culture Collection for patent purposes. Chimeric receptor proteins are also disclosed. The chimera contain at least one functional domain from the new gamma retinoic acid receptor.

Abstract: DNA segments have been discovered, and characterized by sequence, which are response elements operative to confer responsiveness to retinoic acid, or derivatives thereof, for the transcriptional activation of promoters in cells. By using transcriptional control regions comprising response elements of the present invention in combination with a functional promoter, it is now possible to provide recombinant DNA vectors containing a gene, the transcription (and, thereby, also expression) of which is under the control of a promoter, the transcriptional activity of which is responsive to (and increased by) retinoic acid or derivatives thereof.

Abstract: A novel retinoic acid receptor is disclosed. The novel receptor is encoded for by cDNA carried on plasmid phRAR1, which has been deposited with the American Type Culture Collection for patent purposes. Chimeric receptor proteins are also disclosed. The chimera are constructed by exchanging functional domains between the glucocorticoid, the mineralocorticoid, the estrogen-related, the thyroid and the retinoic acid receptors. In addition, a novel method for identifying functional ligands for receptor proteins is disclosed. The method, which takes advantage of the modular structure of the hormone receptors and the idea that the functional domains may be interchangeable, replaces the DNA-binding domain of a putative novel receptor with the DNA-binding domain of a known receptor such as the glucocorticoid receptor. The resulting chimeric construction, when expressed in cells, produces a hybrid receptor whose activation of a ligand-(e.g.

Abstract: The present invention discloses steroid/thyroid hormone receptor DNA binding domain compositions that determine target gene specificity. The invention further discloses methods converting the target gene specificity of one receptor into the target gene specificity of another. Still further the invention discloses novel assays for identifying ligands for orphan hormone receptors. These assays are especially useful since they avoid the necessity of constructing chimeric genes and proteins in order to search for ligands that can activate a putative receptor.

Abstract: DNA encoding a human retinoic acid receptor alpha protein is disclosed. The sequence of the receptor is encoded by the cDNA insert of plasmid phRAR1, which has been deposited with ATCC. Methods employing chimeric receptors derived from the retinoic acid receptor are illustrated which demonstrate that the ligand for the new receptor is the retinoid, retinoic acid.

Abstract: A human retinoic acid receptor alpha protein is disclosed. The receptor is encoded by the cDNA insert of plasmid phRAR1, which has been deposited with ATCC. Methods employing chimeric receptors derived from the retinoic acid receptor are illustrated which demonstrate that the ligand for the new receptor is the retinoid, retinoic acid.

Abstract: A novel gamma retinoic acid receptor is disclosed. The novel receptor is encoded for by cDNA carried on plasmid pGEM-hRAR.gamma., which has been deposited with the American Type Culture Collection for patent purposes. Chimeric receptor proteins are also disclosed. The chimera contain at least one functional domain from the new gamma retinoic acid receptor.

Abstract: A novel retinoic acid receptor is disclosed. The novel receptor is encoded for by CDNA carried on plasmid phRAR1, which has been deposited with the American Type Culture Collection for patent purposes. Chimeric receptor proteins are also disclosed. The chimera are constructed by exchanging functional domains between the glucocorticoid, the mineralocorticoid, the estrogen-related, the thyroid and the retinoic acid receptors. In addition, a novel method for identifying functional ligands for receptor proteins is disclosed. The method, which takes advantage of the modular structure of the hormone receptors and the idea that the functional domains may be interchangeable, replaces the DNA-binding domain of a putative novel receptor with the DNA-binding domain of a known receptor such as the glucocorticoid receptor. The resulting chimeric construction, when expressed in cells, produces a hybrid receptor whose activation of a ligand--(e.g.

Abstract: A novel gamma retinoic acid receptor is disclosed. The novel receptor is encoded for by cDNA carried on plasmid pGEM-hRAR.gamma., which has been deposited with the American Type Culture Collection for patent purposes. Chimeric receptor proteins are also disclosed. The chimera contain at least one functional domain from the new gamma retinoic acid receptor.