The baculovirus expression vector system utilizing the strong polyhedrin gene promoter of the Autographa californica nuclear polyhedrosis virus (AcNPV) was used for high level expression of the two alpha 2-adrenoceptor subtypes alpha 2A-C10 and alpha 2B-C2 in Spodoptera frugiperda (Sf-9) insect cells. For rapid screening of recombinant viruses the luciferase gene was expressed under the early ETL-promoter (early transcript large) in the same plasmid. Both receptor subtypes showed the same rank order of binding affinity for four agonists tested: dexmedetomidine > l-medetomidine = clonidine > noradrenaline. For the alpha 2A-C10 subtype, these agonists inhibited forskolin stimulated cAMP production through pertussis toxin sensitive G-proteins. In contrast, for the alpha 2B-C2 subtype the agonists stimulated both basal and forskolin stimulated cAMP production.