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

nle have identified human 17 beta-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase type 7 (17 b eta-HSD 7), The novel human cDNA encodes a 37 kDa protein that shows 78 and 74% amino acid identity with rat and mouse 17 beta-HSD 7, respectively. Th ese enzymes are responsible for estradiol production in the corpus luteum d uring pregnancy, but are also present in placenta and several steroid targe t tissues (breast, testis and prostate) as revealed by RT-PCR, The human 17 beta-HSD 7 gene (HSD17B7) consists of nine exons and eight introns, spanni ng 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) reve als binding sites for brain-specific and lymphoid transcription factors cor responding to additional expression domains in hematopoietic tissues and th e developing brain as identified by in silico Northern blot. (C) 1999 Feder ation of European Biochemical Societies.