| Abstract: | The complete amino acid sequence of porcine hepatic microsomal NADPH-cytochrome P-450 reductase has been determined by microsequence analysis on several sets of proteolytic fragments. Sequence studies were performed initially on a 20-kilodalton (kDa) fragment and then on 80-kDa fragment. The amino-terminal end of the mature protein was blocked with an acetyl group, followed by 676 amino acid residues. It has been revealed that the COOH-terminal 20-kDa fragment has been derived from original enzyme by cleavage at the Asn-Gly (residues 502-503) linkage by an unknown mechanism. An NADPH-protected cysteine residue is located at residue 565, near a region exhibiting high sequence homology with ferredoxin-NADP+ reductase. The FMN and FAD binding regions are possibly located in the amino-terminal region and the middle part of the protein molecule, respectively, as suggested by Porter and Kasper Porter, T. D., & Kasper, C. B. (1985) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 82, 973-977]. When this sequence is compared with that of rat enzyme, 60 amino acid residues are substituted, probably due to species differences. However, total sequence homology between these enzymes is 90%. Hydropathy plot analysis reveals that two regions from residues 27-43 and from residues 523-544 exhibit a high degree of hydrophobicity, suggesting membrane binding or interaction with cytochrome P-450. |
