title: Genealogy of regulation of human sex and adrenal function, prostaglandin action, snapdragon and petunia flower colors, antibiotics, and nitrogen fixation: functional diversity from two ancestral dehydrogenases.
abstract: Metabolism of steroid hormones by dehydrogenases is an important mechanism for regulating steroid hormone action. Analysis of recently reported amino acid sequences of 11 beta-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase, 17 beta-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase, and 3 alpha, 20 beta-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase reveals that they are descended from a common ancestor. Unexpectedly, this superfamily of dehydrogenases has other interesting relatives: 15-hydroxyprostaglandin dehydrogenase, proteins found in nitrogen-fixing bacteria, and enzymes important in the synthesis of antibiotics. The novel lineage of these proteins and the actions of flavonoids in regulating gene transcription in nitrogen-fixing bacteria and mammals provide new insights into the evolution of regulation of gene transcription by intercellular signals in multicellular animals.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla 92093-0623.
authors.forename: M E
authors.initials: ME
authors.lastname: Baker
mesh_terms: D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D006728:Hormones / Q000378:metabolism; D006913:Hydroxysteroid Dehydrogenases / Q000737:chemistry / Q000502:physiology*; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D011453:Prostaglandins / Q000502:physiology; D013256:Steroids / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D006728:Hormones; D011453:Prostaglandins; D013256:Steroids; D006913:Hydroxysteroid Dehydrogenases