title: Cloning and characterization of the cDNA encoding human biliverdin-IX alpha reductase.
abstract: Biliverdin reductase is classified into two isoforms in substrate specificity; biliverdin-IX alpha reductase and biliverdin-IX beta reductase with a molecular mass of 22 kDa and 34-42 kDa, respectively. We have cloned the cDNA encoding human biliverdin-IX alpha reductase from MOLT4 cDNA library. The cDNA of 1146 bp in nucleotide length contained an entire reading frame coding 296 amino acid residues. The NADH/NADPH binding consensus sequence was found in the amino-terminal region. Comparison between human and rat biliverdin-IX alpha reductases showed 82.8% identity in amino acid sequences and 80.3% identity in the coding nucleotides. The amino acid sequence of human biliverdin-IX alpha reductase showed no significant homology to that of human biliverdin-IX beta reductase. Northern blot analysis of poly(A) RNA from eight different human tissues revealed that the reductase mRNA was abundant in the brain, lung and pancreas but not in the liver. The distribution pattern of biliverdin-IX alpha message was different from that of heme oxygenase activity which is known to be high in the liver and to be low in the heart and lung.
authors.affiliation: Department of Physiological Chemistry, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Showa University, Tokyo, Japan.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Komuro
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Tobe
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Nakano
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Yamaguchi
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Tomita
mesh_terms: D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D001483:Base Sequence; D001665:Binding Sites; D003001:Cloning, Molecular; D016384:Consensus Sequence / Q000235:genetics; D018076:DNA, Complementary / Q000235:genetics*; D018628:Gene Dosage; D015723:Gene Library; D005796:Genes / Q000235:genetics; D006801:Humans; D007938:Leukemia; D008099:Liver / Q000201:enzymology; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D009243:NAD / Q000378:metabolism; D009249:NADP / Q000378:metabolism; D009928:Organ Specificity; D010088:Oxidoreductases / Q000235:genetics*; D044925:Oxidoreductases Acting on CH-CH Group Donors; D010446:Peptide Fragments; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000032:analysis; D017421:Sequence Analysis; D017422:Sequence Analysis, DNA; D017386:Sequence Homology, Amino Acid; D012689:Sequence Homology, Nucleic Acid; D012697:Serine Endopeptidases
chemical_list: D018076:DNA, Complementary; D010446:Peptide Fragments; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D009243:NAD; D009249:NADP; D010088:Oxidoreductases; D044925:Oxidoreductases Acting on CH-CH Group Donors; C019789:biliverdin reductase; D012697:Serine Endopeptidases; C036813:lysyl endopeptidase