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Mc4r melanocortin 4 receptor [ Rattus norvegicus (Norway rat) ]

Gene ID: 25635, updated on 24-Jul-2025
Official Symbol
Mc4rprovided by RGD
Official Full Name
melanocortin 4 receptorprovided by RGD
Primary source
RGD:3057
See related
AllianceGenome:RGD:3057
Gene type
protein coding
RefSeq status
VALIDATED
Organism
Rattus norvegicus
Lineage
Eukaryota; Metazoa; Chordata; Craniata; Vertebrata; Euteleostomi; Mammalia; Eutheria; Euarchontoglires; Glires; Rodentia; Myomorpha; Muroidea; Muridae; Murinae; Rattus
Summary
Enables melanocortin receptor activity and peptide hormone binding activity. Involved in several processes, including diet induced thermogenesis; negative regulation of feeding behavior; and regulation of grooming behavior. Predicted to be active in cytoplasm and plasma membrane. Used to study alcohol dependence; depressive disorder; and obesity. Biomarker of anxiety disorder; morphine dependence; obesity; and sciatic neuropathy. Human ortholog(s) of this gene implicated in morbid obesity and obesity. Orthologous to human MC4R (melanocortin 4 receptor). [provided by Alliance of Genome Resources, Apr 2025]
Orthologs
human mouse all
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See Mc4r in Genome Data Viewer
Location:
18q12.1
Exon count:
1
Annotation release Status Assembly Chr Location
RS_2024_02 current GRCr8 (GCF_036323735.1) 18 NC_086036.1 (62689798..62691685, complement)
RS_2023_06 previous assembly mRatBN7.2 (GCF_015227675.2) 18 NC_051353.1 (60419832..60421719, complement)
106 previous assembly Rnor_6.0 (GCF_000001895.5) 18 NC_005117.4 (62612838..62614725, complement)

Chromosome 18 - NC_086036.1Genomic Context describing neighboring genes Neighboring gene LUC7 pre-mRNA splicing factor like, pseudogene 2 Neighboring gene uncharacterized LOC134482958 Neighboring gene glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase-like Neighboring gene Glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase, pseudogene 57 Neighboring gene uncharacterized LOC134482984

Go to nucleotide: Graphics FASTA GenBank

Related articles in PubMed

  1. Melanocortin 4 receptor induces hyperalgesia and allodynia after chronic constriction injury by activation of p38 MAPK in DRG. Chu H, et al. Int J Neurosci, 2012 Feb. PMID 21985621
  2. Melanocortin-4 receptor messenger ribonucleic acid expression in rat cardiorespiratory, musculoskeletal, and integumentary systems. Mountjoy KG, et al. Endocrinology, 2003 Dec. PMID 12959974
  3. A critical role for the melanocortin 4 receptor in stress-induced relapse to nicotine seeking in rats. Qi X, et al. Addict Biol, 2015 Mar. PMID 24612112
  4. Upregulation of hepatic melanocortin 4 receptor during rat liver regeneration. Xu M, et al. J Surg Res, 2016 Jun 1. PMID 24433867
  5. Activation of melanocortin receptors in the intermediolateral cell column of the upper thoracic cord elicits tachycardia in the rat. Iwasa M, et al. Am J Physiol Heart Circ Physiol, 2013 Sep 15. PMID 23832700, Free PMC Article

See all (98) citations in PubMed

GeneRIFs: Gene References Into Functions

What's a GeneRIF?
  1. Melanocortin-receptor 4 activation modulates proliferation and differentiation of rat postnatal hippocampal neural precursor cells.
    Title: Melanocortin-receptor 4 activation modulates proliferation and differentiation of rat postnatal hippocampal neural precursor cells.
  2. Melanocortin-4 receptor signaling in the central amygdala mediates chronic inflammatory pain effects on nociception.
    Title: Melanocortin-4 receptor signaling in the central amygdala mediates chronic inflammatory pain effects on nociception.
  3. Nicotine-induced Brain Stimulation Reward is Modulated by Melanocortin-4 Receptors in Ovariectomized Rats.
    Title: Nicotine-induced Brain Stimulation Reward is Modulated by Melanocortin-4 Receptors in Ovariectomized Rats.
  4. Activation of the Melanocortin-4 Receptor Prevents Oxidative Damage and Mitochondrial Dysfunction in Cultured Hippocampal Neurons Exposed to Ethanol.
    Title: Activation of the Melanocortin-4 Receptor Prevents Oxidative Damage and Mitochondrial Dysfunction in Cultured Hippocampal Neurons Exposed to Ethanol.
  5. The increase in hypothalamic nesfatin-1 participates in regulating feeding behavior through the MC3/4R-ERK signaling especially after SG and RYGB.
    Title: Hypothalamic nesfatin-1 mediates feeding behavior via MC3/4R-ERK signaling pathway after weight loss in obese Sprague-Dawley rats.
  6. deficiency was associated with impaired ventilatory responses to hypercapnia independently of obesity
    Title: Role of melanocortin 4 receptor in hypertension induced by chronic intermittent hypoxia.
  7. findings suggest that alpha-MSH suppresses I A by activating MC4R, which is coupled sequentially to the Gbetagamma complex of the Gi/o-protein and downstream class I PI3K-dependent p38alpha signaling, thereby increasing TG neuronal excitability and mechanical pain sensitivity in rats.
    Title: Melanocortin type 4 receptor-mediated inhibition of A-type K(+) current enhances sensory neuronal excitability and mechanical pain sensitivity in rats.
  8. MC3R deficiency caused a reduction of food intake and body weight, whereas at the same time exhibited additive effects on top of MC4R deficiency on lipid and glucose metabolism.
    Title: Effects of Melanocortin 3 and 4 Receptor Deficiency on Energy Homeostasis in Rats.
  9. Thus study demonstrated that Adolescent Alcohol Exposure-Induced Changes in melanocortin 4 receptor.
    Title: Adolescent Alcohol Exposure-Induced Changes in Alpha-Melanocyte Stimulating Hormone and Neuropeptide Y Pathways via Histone Acetylation in the Brain During Adulthood.
  10. results revealed that MC4R activation was able to attenuate oxidative stress and mitochondrial dysfunction in skeletal muscle induced by diabetes partially through activating the AMPK-SIRT1-PGC-1alpha signaling pathway.
    Title: Melanocortin 4 Receptor Activation Attenuates Mitochondrial Dysfunction in Skeletal Muscle of Diabetic Rats.
Submit: New GeneRIF Correction See all GeneRIFs (64)

Markers

Homology

Gene Ontology Provided by RGD

Function Evidence Code Pubs
enables G protein-coupled receptor activity IEA
Inferred from Electronic Annotation
more info
  
enables hormone binding IDA
Inferred from Direct Assay
more info
 PubMed 
enables hormone binding IEA
Inferred from Electronic Annotation
more info
  
enables melanocortin receptor activity IDA
Inferred from Direct Assay
more info
 PubMed 
enables melanocortin receptor activity IEA
Inferred from Electronic Annotation
more info
  
enables melanocortin receptor activity IMP
Inferred from Mutant Phenotype
more info
 PubMed 
enables melanocortin receptor activity ISO
Inferred from Sequence Orthology
more info
  
enables melanocyte-stimulating hormone receptor activity IBA
Inferred from Biological aspect of Ancestor
more info
  
enables melanocyte-stimulating hormone receptor activity ISO
Inferred from Sequence Orthology
more info
  
enables metal ion binding IEA
Inferred from Electronic Annotation
more info
  
enables neuropeptide binding ISO
Inferred from Sequence Orthology
more info
  
enables peptide hormone binding IDA
Inferred from Direct Assay
more info
 PubMed 
enables peptide hormone binding IMP
Inferred from Mutant Phenotype
more info
 PubMed 
enables ubiquitin protein ligase binding ISO
Inferred from Sequence Orthology
more info
  
Process Evidence Code Pubs
involved_in G protein-coupled receptor signaling pathway IEA
Inferred from Electronic Annotation
more info
  
involved_in adenylate cyclase-activating G protein-coupled receptor signaling pathway IBA
Inferred from Biological aspect of Ancestor
more info
  
involved_in adenylate cyclase-activating G protein-coupled receptor signaling pathway ISO
Inferred from Sequence Orthology
more info
  
involved_in diet induced thermogenesis IDA
Inferred from Direct Assay
more info
 PubMed 
involved_in energy reserve metabolic process IDA
Inferred from Direct Assay
more info
 PubMed 
involved_in feeding behavior IDA
Inferred from Direct Assay
more info
 PubMed 
acts_upstream_of_or_within feeding behavior ISO
Inferred from Sequence Orthology
more info
  
acts_upstream_of_or_within insulin secretion ISO
Inferred from Sequence Orthology
more info
  
involved_in negative regulation of feeding behavior IMP
Inferred from Mutant Phenotype
more info
 PubMed 
involved_in positive regulation of bone resorption ISO
Inferred from Sequence Orthology
more info
  
involved_in regulation of eating behavior ISO
Inferred from Sequence Orthology
more info
  
involved_in regulation of feeding behavior IBA
Inferred from Biological aspect of Ancestor
more info
  
involved_in regulation of feeding behavior IMP
Inferred from Mutant Phenotype
more info
 PubMed 
involved_in regulation of grooming behavior IMP
Inferred from Mutant Phenotype
more info
 PubMed 
involved_in response to bisphenol A IEP
Inferred from Expression Pattern
more info
 PubMed 
involved_in response to ethanol IEP
Inferred from Expression Pattern
more info
 PubMed 
acts_upstream_of_or_within response to food ISO
Inferred from Sequence Orthology
more info
  
acts_upstream_of_or_within response to insulin ISO
Inferred from Sequence Orthology
more info
  
involved_in response to melanocyte-stimulating hormone ISO
Inferred from Sequence Orthology
more info
  
involved_in signal transduction IEA
Inferred from Electronic Annotation
more info
  
Component Evidence Code Pubs
is_active_in cytoplasm IBA
Inferred from Biological aspect of Ancestor
more info
  
located_in membrane IEA
Inferred from Electronic Annotation
more info
  
is_active_in plasma membrane IBA
Inferred from Biological aspect of Ancestor
more info
  
located_in plasma membrane IEA
Inferred from Electronic Annotation
more info
  
Preferred Names
melanocortin receptor 4
Names
MC4-R

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RefSeqs maintained independently of Annotated Genomes

These reference sequences exist independently of genome builds. Explain

These reference sequences are curated independently of the genome annotation cycle, so their versions may not match the RefSeq versions in the current genome build. Identify version mismatches by comparing the version of the RefSeq in this section to the one reported in Genomic regions, transcripts, and products above.

mRNA and Protein(s)

  1. NM_013099.3 → NP_037231.1  melanocortin receptor 4

    See identical proteins and their annotated locations for NP_037231.1

    Status: VALIDATED

    Source sequence(s)
    JAXUCZ010000018
    UniProtKB/Swiss-Prot
    P70596
    UniProtKB/TrEMBL
    A6IXT4
    Conserved Domains (1) summary
    cd15353
    Location:45 → 313
    7tmA_MC4R; melanocortin receptor subtype 4, member of the class A family of seven-transmembrane G protein-coupled receptors

RefSeqs of Annotated Genomes: GCF_036323735.1-RS_2024_02

The following sections contain reference sequences that belong to a specific genome build. Explain

Reference GRCr8

Genomic

  1. NC_086036.1 Reference GRCr8

    Range
    62689798..62691685 complement
    Download
    GenBank, FASTA, Sequence Viewer (Graphics)
Nucleotide Protein Strain
Heading Accession and Version
Protein Accession Links
GenPept Link UniProtKB Link
P70596.1 GenPept UniProtKB/Swiss-Prot:P70596

Gene LinkOut

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