In order to clone the D1 dopamine receptor linked to adenylyl cyclase activation, the polymerase chain reaction was used with highly degenerate primers to selectively amplify a cDNA sequence from NS20Y neuroblastoma cell mRNA. This amplification produced a cDNA fragment exhibiting considerable sequence homology to guanine nucleotide-binding (G)-protein-coupled receptors that have been cloned previously. To characterize this cDNA further, a full-length clone was isolated from a rat striatal library by using the cDNA fragment as a probe. Sequence analysis of this cDNA clone indicated that it is indeed a member of the G-protein-coupled receptor family and exhibits greatest homology with the previously cloned catecholamine receptors. Northern blot analysis of various neural tissues revealed a transcript of approximately 4 kb that was predominantly located in the striatum with lesser amounts in the cortex and retina. In contrast, no mRNA was detected in the cerebellum, hippocampus, olfactory bulb, mesencephalon, or pituitary. In situ hybridization analysis also revealed a high abundance of mRNA in the striatum as well as in the olfactory tubercle. To establish the identity of this cDNA, we performed transient expression experiments in COS-7 cells. [3H]SCH-23390, a D1-selective radioligand, exhibited specific, saturable binding only in cells that were transfected with this cDNA. Competition binding analysis with a variety of dopaminergic ligands demonstrated a D1 dopaminergic pharmacology. In addition, dopamine as well as other D1-selective agonists stimulated cAMP accumulation in transfected COS-7 cells. We conclude that we have cloned a cDNA encoding the D1 dopamine receptor linked to the activation of adenylyl cyclase activity.