Determination of cDNA, gene structure and chromosomal localization of the novel human 17beta-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase type 7

We have identified human 17??-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase type 7 {(17??-HSD} 7). The novel human {cDNA} encodes a 37 {kDa} protein that shows 78 and 74\% amino acid identity with rat and mouse {17??-HSD} 7, respectively. These enzymes are responsible for estradiol production in the corpus luteum during pregnancy, but are also present in placenta and several steroid target tissues (breast, testis and prostate) as revealed by {RT-PCR.} The human {17??-HSD} 7 gene {(HSD17B7)} consists of nine exons and eight introns, spanning 21.8 kb and maps to chromosome 10p11.2 close to susceptibility loci for tumor progression, obesity and diabetes. The {HSD17B7} promoter (1.2 kb) reveals binding sites for brain-specific and lymphoid transcription factors corresponding to additional expression domains in hematopoietic tissues and the developing brain as identified by in silico Northern blot. Copyright {(C)} 1999 Federation of European Biochemical Societies.