Expression of 3beta-HSD and P5betaR, genes respectively coding for Delta5-3beta-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase and progesterone 5beta-reductase, in leaves and cell cultures of Digitalis lanata EHRH.

Plants of the genus Digitalis produce 5 beta-cardenolides that are used in the therapy of cardiac insufficiency in humans. 3 beta-Hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase (3 beta-HSD) and progesterone 5 beta-reductase (P5 betaR) are both supposed to be important enzymes in the biosynthesis of these natural products. Activity and gene expression were demonstrated for both enzymes in cardenolide-accumulating leaves of Digitalis lanata but also in cardenolide-free permanent cell suspension cultures initiated from D. lanata leaf tissue. Enzyme activities were determined and quantified by HPLC and GC-MS methods. Expression of the respective genes, namely AY585867.1 (P5betaR gene) and DQ466890.1 (3beta-HSD gene), was made evident by real-time polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) analysis. We demonstrate for the first time that the P5betaR gene, encoding an enzyme described as a key enzyme in cardenolide biosynthesis, is also expressed in cardenolide-free tissues of cardenolide-containing plants.

A new semisynthetic cardenolide analog 3ß-[2-(1-amantadine)- 1-on-ethylamine]-digitoxigenin (AMANTADIG) affects G2/M cell cycle arrest and miRNA expression profiles and enhances proapoptotic survivin-2B expression in renal cell carcinoma cell lines.

Cardiac glycosides are well known in the treatment of cardiovascular diseases; however, their application as treatment option for cancer patients is under discussion. We showed that the cardiac glycoside digitoxin and its analog AMANTADIG can inhibit the growth of renal cell carcinoma (RCC) cell lines and increase G2/M cell cycle arrest. To identify the signaling pathways and molecular basis of this G2/M arrest, microRNAs were profiled using microRNA arrays. Cardiac glycoside treatment significantly deregulated two microRNAs, miR-2278 and miR-670-5p. Pathway enrichment analysis showed that all cardiac glycoside treatments affected the MAPK and the axon guidance pathway. Within these pathways, three genes, MAPK1, NRAS and RAC2, were identified as in silico targets of the deregulated miRNAs. MAPK1 and NRAS are known regulators of G2/M cell cycle arrest. AMANTADIG treatment enhanced the expression of phosphorylated MAPK1 in 786-O cells. Secondly, we studied the expression of survivin known to be affected by cardiac glycosides and to regulate the G2/M cell phase. AMANTADIG treatment upregulated the expression of the pro-apoptotic survivin-2B variant in Caki-1 and 786-O cells. Moreover, treatment with AMANTADIG resulted in significantly lower survivin protein expression compared to 786-O control cells. Summarizing, treatment with all cardiac glycosides induced G2/M cell cycle arrest and downregulated the miR-2278 and miR-670-5p in microarray analysis. All cardiac glycosides affected the MAPK-pathway and survivin expression, both associated with the G2/M phase. Because cells in the G2/M phase are radio- and chemotherapy sensitive, cardiac glycosides like AMANTADIG could potentially improve the efficacy of radio- and/or chemotherapy in RCCs.

Molecular cloning and heterologous expression of progesterone 5beta-reductase from Digitalis lanata Ehrh.

A full-length cDNA clone that encodes progesterone 5beta-reductase (5beta-POR) was isolated from Digitalis lanata leaves. The reading frame of the 5beta-POR gene is 1170 nucleotides corresponding to 389 amino acids. For expression, a Sph1/Sal1 5beta-POR fragment was cloned into the pQE vector and was transformed into Escherichia coli strain M15[pREP4]. The recombinant gene was functionally expressed and the recombinant enzyme was characterized. The K(m) and v(max) values for the putative natural substrate progesterone were calculated to be 0.120 mM and 45 nkat mg(-1) protein, respectively. Only 5beta-pregnane-3,20-dione but not its alpha-isomer was formed when progesterone was used as the substrate. Kinetic constants for cortisol, cortexone, 4-androstene-3,17-dione and NADPH were also determined. The molecular organization of the 5beta-POR gene in D. lanata was determined by Southern blot analysis. The 5beta-POR is highly conserved within the genus Digitalis and the respective genes and proteins share considerable homology to putative progesterone reductases from other plant species.

Crystallization and preliminary crystallographic analysis of selenomethionine-labelled progesterone 5beta-reductase from Digitalis lanata Ehrh.

Progesterone 5beta-reductase (5beta-POR) catalyzes the reduction of progesterone to 5beta-pregnane-3,20-dione and is the first stereospecific enzyme in the putative biosynthetic pathway of Digitalis cardenolides. Selenomethionine-derivatized 5beta-POR from D. lanata was successfully overproduced and crystallized. The crystals belong to space group P4(3)2(1)2, with unit-cell parameters a = 71.73, c = 186.64 A. A MAD data set collected at 2.7 A resolution allowed the identification of six out of eight possible Se-atom positions. A first inspection of the MAD-phased electron-density map shows that 5beta-POR is a Rossmann-type reductase and the quality of the map is such that it is anticipated that a complete atomic model of 5beta-POR will readily be built.

Progesterone 5ß-reductases/iridoid synthases (PRISE): gatekeeper role of highly conserved phenylalanines in substrate preference and trapping is supported by molecular dynamics simulations.

Vein Patterning 1 (VEP1)-encoded progesterone 5ß-reductases/iridoid synthases (PRISE) belong to the short-chain dehydrogenase/reductase superfamily of proteins. They are characterized by a set of highly conserved amino acids in the substrate-binding pocket. All PRISEs are capable of reducing the activated C=C double bond of various enones enantioselectively and therefore have a potential as biocatalysts in bioorganic synthesis. Here, recombinant forms of PRISEs of Arabidopsis thaliana and Digitalis lanata were modified using site-directed mutagenesis (SDM). In rDlP5ßR, a set of highly conserved amino acids in the vicinity of the catalytic center was individually substituted for alanine resulting in considerable to complete loss of enone reductase activity. F153 and F343, which can be found in most PRISEs known, are located at the outer rim of the catalytic cavity and seem to be involved in substrate binding and their role was addressed in a series of SDM experiments. The wild-type PRISE accepted progesterone (large hydrophobic 1,4-enone) as well as 2-cyclohexen-1-one (small hydrophilic 1,4-enone), whereas the double mutant rAtP5ßR_F153A_F343A converted progesterone much better than the wild-type enzyme but almost lost its capability of reducing 2-cyclohexen-1-one. Recombinant Draba aizoides P5ßR (rDaP5ßR) has a second pair of phenylalanines at position 156 and 345 at the rim of the binding site. These two phenylalanines were introduced into rAtP5ßR_F153A_F343A and the resulting quadruple mutant rAtP5ßR_F153A_F343A_V156F_V345F partly recovered the ability to reduce 2-cyclohexen-1-one. These results can best be explained by assuming a trapping mechanism in which phenylalanines at the rim of the substrate-binding pocket are involved. The dynamic behavior of individual P5ßRs and mutants thereof was investigated by molecular dynamics simulations and all calculations supported the 'gatekeeper' role of phenylalanines at the periphery of the substrate-binding pocket. Our findings provide structural and mechanistic explanations for the different substrate preferences seen among the natural PRISEs and help to explain the large differences in catalytic efficiency found for different types of 1,4-enones.

Expression, crystallization and structure elucidation of γ-terpinene synthase from Thymus vulgaris.

The biosynthesis of γ-terpinene, a precursor of the phenolic isomers thymol and carvacrol found in the essential oil from Thymus sp., is attributed to the activitiy of γ-terpinene synthase (TPS). Purified γ-terpinene synthase from T. vulgaris (TvTPS), the Thymus species that is the most widely spread and of the greatest economical importance, is able to catalyze the enzymatic conversion of geranyl diphosphate (GPP) to γ-terpinene. The crystal structure of recombinantly expressed and purified TvTPS is reported at 1.65 Šresolution, confirming the dimeric structure of the enzyme. The putative active site of TvTPS is deduced from its pronounced structural similarity to enzymes from other species of the Lamiaceae family involved in terpenoid biosynthesis: to (+)-bornyl diphosphate synthase and 1,8-cineole synthase from Salvia sp. and to (4S)-limonene synthase from Mentha spicata.

The barley Jip23b gene.

The barley gene (Jip23) encoding a 23,000-Da protein of unknown function was isolated and shown to be induced by jasmonate methyl ester (MeJA) in leaves. 5'upstream Jip23 sequence was isolated and fused to the beta-glucuronidase gene (GUS), and this reporter was introduced by particle bombardment into barley leaves. With 1.8 kb of this Jip23 sequence, GUS expression was enhanced about threefold by jasmonate treatment. This indicates that the Jip23 regulation by jasmonate occurs at the level of transcription.

Steroid 5ß-Reductase from Leaves of Vitis vinifera: Molecular Cloning, Expression, and Modeling.

A steroid 5ß-reductase gene corresponding to the hypothetical protein LOC100247199 from leaves of Vitis vinifera (var. 'Chardonnay') was cloned and overexpressed in Escherichia coli. The recombinant protein showed 5ß-reductase activity when progesterone was used as a substrate. The reaction was stereoselective, producing only 5ß-products such as 5ß-pregnane-3,20-dione. Other small substrates (terpenoids and enones) were also accepted as substrates, indicating the highly promiscuous character of the enzyme class. Our results show that the steroid 5ß-reductase gene, encoding an orthologous enzyme described as a key enzyme in cardenolide biosynthesis, is also expressed in leaves of the cardenolide-free plant V. vinifera. We emphasize the fact that, on some occasions, different reductases (e.g., progesterone 5ß-reductase and monoterpenoid reductase) can also use molecules that are similar to the final products as a substrate. Therefore, in planta, the different reductases may contribute to the immense number of diverse small natural products finally leading to the flavor of wine.

The New Semisynthetic Cardenolide Analog 3ß-[2-(1-Amantadine)-1-on-ethylamine]-digitoxigenin (AMANTADIG) Efficiently Suppresses Cell Growth in Human Leukemia and Urological Tumor Cell Lines.

BACKGROUND/AIM: The use of cardenolides in the treatment of cardiac insufficiency is well-established. However, the potential of cardenolides in tumor therapy has not been comprehensively studied. The aim of the present study was to characterize the cytotoxic effects of the new semisynthetic cardenolide analog AMANTADIG (3ß-[2-(1-amantadine)-1-on-ethylamine]-digitoxigenin), and the cardenolide digitoxin on leukemia and urological tumor cell lines. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The anti-proliferative effects of AMANTADIG and digitoxin on leukemia and urological cancer cell lines were analyzed using (3-(4,5-Dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide) tetrazolium reduction viability assay. RESULTS: AMANTADIG and digitoxin exhibited anti-proliferative activities against the leukemia cell lines in the low nanomolar range. The prostate cancer and renal cell carcinoma cell lines were equally sensitive to AMANTADIG and digitoxin, however, the leukemia cell lines were more sensitive to both cardenolides. CONCLUSION: The new cardenolide analog AMANTADIG appears effective in cell growth inhibition of leukemia and urological tumor cell lines.

Iridoid synthase activity is common among the plant progesterone 5ß-reductase family.

Catharanthus roseus, the Madagascar periwinkle, synthesizes bioactive monoterpenoid indole alkaloids, including the anti-cancer drugs vinblastine and vincristine. The monoterpenoid branch of the alkaloid pathway leads to the secoiridoid secologanin and involves the enzyme iridoid synthase (IS), a member of the progesterone 5ß-reductase (P5ßR) family. IS reduces 8-oxogeranial to iridodial. Through transcriptome mining, we show that IS belongs to a family of six C. roseus P5ßR genes. Characterization of recombinant CrP5ßR proteins demonstrates that all but CrP5ßR3 can reduce progesterone and thus can be classified as P5ßRs. Three of them, namely CrP5ßR1, CrP5ßR2, and CrP5ßR4, can also reduce 8-oxogeranial, pointing to a possible redundancy with IS (corresponding to CrP5ßR5) in secoiridoid synthesis. In-depth functional analysis by subcellular protein localization, gene expression analysis, in situ hybridization, and virus-induced gene silencing indicate that besides IS, CrP5ßR4 may also participate in secoiridoid biosynthesis. We cloned a set of P5ßR genes from angiosperm plant species not known to produce iridoids and demonstrate that the corresponding recombinant proteins are also capable of using 8-oxogeranial as a substrate. This suggests that IS activity is intrinsic to angiosperm P5ßR proteins and has evolved early during evolution.

A young root-specific gene (ArMY2) from horseradish encoding a MYR II myrosinase with kinetic preference for the root-specific glucosinolate gluconasturtiin.

The pungent taste of horseradish is caused by isothiocyanates which are released from glucosinolates by myrosinases. These enzymes are encoded by genes belonging to one of two subfamilies, termed MYR I and MYR II, respectively. A MYR II-type myrosinase gene was identified for the first time in horseradish. The gene termed ArMY2 was only expressed in young roots. A full-length cDNA encoding a myrosinase termed ArMy2 was isolated and heterologously expressed in Pichia pastoris. The recombinant His-tagged enzyme was characterized biochemically. Substrate affinity was 5 times higher towards gluconasturtiin than towards sinigrin. Gluconasturtiin was found to be the most abundant glucosinolate in young horseradish roots while sinigrin dominated in storage roots and leaves. This indicates that a specialized glucosinolate-myrosinase defense system might be active in young roots.

Identification and stress-induced expression of three 3ß-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenases from Erysimum crepidifolium Rchb. and their putative role in cardenolide biosynthesis.

3ß-Hydroxysteroid dehydrogenases (3ßHSD) are supposed to be involved in cardenolide biosynthesis in plants. Erysimum crepidifolium Rchb., a member of the Brassicaceae accumulating cardenolides, is a close relative to Arabidopsis thaliana. Full length cDNAs encoding for three individual 3ßHSDs (EcHSD1, EcHSD2, EcHSD3) were isolated from E. crepidifolium leaves. EcHSD1 and EcHSD2 encode proteins assembled from 257 amino acids whereas EcHSD3 encodes a protein assembled from 260 amino acids. All three proteins qualify as members of the short-chain dehydrogenases/reductases family of proteins (SDRs). EcHSD1 and EcHSD2 shared a high amino acid sequence identity of about 86% and 91% with putative 3ßHSDs of A. thaliana (AT2G47140 and AT2G47130). EcHSD3 showed high homology to the A. thaliana SDRs AT2G47150 (74%) and AT2G47120 (81%). All three EcHSD genes were expressed in Escherichia coli and the recombinant enzymes were characterized biochemically. All three recombinant EcHSDs catalyzed the dehydrogenation of pregnenolone and the 3-reduction of 5α/ß-pregnane-3,20-dione when NAD and NADH were used as cosubstrates, respectively. After exposure to different stress conditions, no increased transcription was seen for EcHSD1 whereas EcHSD2 was expressed four times higher under osmotic stress than under control conditions. EcHSD3 expression was 10 times and 6 times higher after osmotic stress and MeJA treatment, respectively, than in controls.

Iridoid Synthase Activity Is Common among the Plant Progesterone 5ß-Reductase Family.

Catharanthus roseus, the Madagascar periwinkle, synthesizes bioactive monoterpenoid indole alkaloids, among which the anti-cancer drugs vinblastine and vincristine. The monoterpenoid branch of the alkaloid pathway leads to the secoiridoid secologanin and involves the enzyme iridoid synthase (IS), a member of the progesterone 5ß-reductase (P5ßR) family. IS reduces 8-oxogeranial to iridodial. Through transcriptome mining, we show that IS belongs to a family of six C. roseus P5ßR genes. Characterisation of recombinant CrP5ßR proteins demonstrates that all but CrP5ßR3 can reduce progesterone, and thus can be classified as P5ßRs. Three of them, namely CrP5ßR1, CrP5ßR2 and CrP5ßR4, could also reduce 8-oxogeranial, pointing to a possible redundancy with IS (corresponding to CrP5ßR5) in secoiridoid synthesis. In depth functional analysis by subcellular protein localisation, gene expression analysis, in situ hybridisation and virus-induced gene silencing, indicates that besides IS, CrP5ßR4 may also participate in secoiridoid biosynthesis. Finally, we cloned a set of P5ßR genes from angiosperm plant species not known to produce iridoids and demonstrate that the corresponding recombinant proteins are also capable of using 8-oxogeranial as a substrate. This suggests that 'IS activity' is intrinsic to angiosperm P5ßR proteins and has evolved early during evolution.

Vein Patterning 1-encoded progesterone 5ß-reductase: activity-guided improvement of catalytic efficiency.

Progesterone 5ß-reductases (P5ßR; EC 1.3.99.6) encoded by Vein Patterning 1 (VEP1) genes are capable of reducing the CC double-bond of a variety of enones enantioselectively. Sequence and activity data of orthologous P5ßRs were used to define a set of residues possibly responsible for the large differences in enzyme activity seen between rAtSt5ßR and rDlP5ßR, recombinant forms of P5ßRs from Arabidopsis thaliana and Digitalis lanata, respectively. Tyrosine-156, asparagine-205 and serine-248 were identified as hot spots in the rDlP5ßR responsible for its low catalytic efficiency. These positions were individually substituted for amino acids found in the strong rAtSt5ßR in the corresponding sites. Kinetic constants were determined for rDlP5ßR and its mutants as well as for rAtSt5ßR using progesterone and 2-cyclohexen-1-one as substrates. Enzyme mutants in which asparagine-205 was substituted for methionine or alanine showed considerably lower km and higher K(cat)/k(m) values than the wild-type DlP5ßR, approaching the catalytic efficiency of strong P5ßRs. The introduced mutations not only lead to an improved capability to reduce progesterone but also to altered substrate preference. Our findings provided structural insights into the differences seen among the natural P5ßRs with regard to their substrate preferences and catalytic efficiencies.

Progesterone 5ß-reductase of Erysimum crepidifolium: cDNA cloning, expression in Escherichia coli, and reduction of enones with the recombinant protein.

Erysimum is a genus of the Brassicaceae family closely related to the genus Arabidopsis. Several Erysimum species accumulate 5ß-cardenolides. Progesterone 5ß-reductases (P5ßRs) first described in Digitalis species are thought to be involved in 5ß-cardenolide biosynthesis. P5ßRs belong to the dehydrogenase/reductase super-family of proteins. A full length cDNA clone encoding a P5ßR was isolated from Erysimum crepidifolium leaves by 5'/3' RACE-PCR (termed EcP5ßR). Subsequently, the P5ßR cDNAs of another nine Erysimum species were amplified by RT-PCR using 5' and 3' end primers deduced from the EcP5ßR cDNA. The EcP5ßR cDNA is 1170bp long and encodes for 389 amino acids. The EcP5ßR cDNA was ligated into the vector pQE 30 UA and the recombinant His-tagged protein (termed rEcP5ßR) was over-expressed in Escherichia coli and purified by Ni-chelate affinity chromatography. Kinetic constants were determined for progesterone, 2-cyclohexen-1-one, isophorone, and NADPH. The by far highest specificity constant (k(cat)K(M)⁻¹) was estimated for 2-cyclohexen-1-one indicating that this monocyclic enone may be more related to the natural substrate of the enzyme than progesterone. The atomic structure of rEcP5ßR was modelled using the crystal structure of P5ßR from Digitalis lanata 2V6G as the template. All sequence motifs specific for SDRs as well as the NFYYxxED motif typical for P5ßR-like enzymes were present and the protein sequence fitted into the template smoothly.

Highly conserved progesterone 5 beta-reductase genes (P5 beta R) from 5 beta-cardenolide-free and 5 beta-cardenolide-producing angiosperms.

Most cardenolides used in the therapy of cardiac insufficiency are 5 beta-configured and thus the stereo-specific reduction of the Delta(4,5)-double bond of a steroid precursor is a crucial step in their biosynthesis. This step is thought to be catalysed by progesterone 5 beta-reductases. We report here on the isolation of 11 progesterone 5 beta-reductase (P5 beta R) orthologues from 5 beta-cardenolide-free and 5 beta-cardenolide-producing plant species belonging to five different angiosperm orders (Brassicales, Gentianales, Lamiales, Malvales and Solanales). Amino acid sequences of the P5 beta R described here were highly conserved. They all contain certain motifs qualifying them as members of a class of stereo-selective enone reductases capable of reducing activated C=C double bonds by a 1,4-addition mechanism. Protein modeling revealed seven conserved amino acids in the substrate-binding/catalytic site of these enzymes which are all supposed to exhibit low substrate specificity. Eight P5 beta R genes isolated were expressed in Escherichia coli. Recombinant enzymes reduced progesterone stereo-specifically to 5 beta-pregane-3,20-dione. The progesterone 5 beta-reductases from Digitalis canariensis and Arabidopsis thaliana reduced activated C=C double bonds of molecules much smaller than progesterone. The specific role of progesterone 5 beta-reductases of P5 beta Rs in cardenolide metabolism is challenged because this class of enone reductases is widespread in higher plants, and they accept a wide range of enone substrates.

The crystal structure of progesterone 5beta-reductase from Digitalis lanata defines a novel class of short chain dehydrogenases/reductases.

Progesterone 5beta-reductase (5beta-POR) catalyzes the stereospecific reduction of progesterone to 5beta-pregnane-3,20-dione and is a key enzyme in the biosynthetic pathway of cardenolides in Digitalis (foxglove) plants. Sequence considerations suggested that 5beta-POR is a member of the short chain dehydrogenase/reductase (SDR) family of proteins but at the same time revealed that the sequence motifs that in standard SDRs contain the catalytically important residues are missing. Here we present crystal structures of 5beta-POR from Digitalis lanata in complex with NADP(+) at 2.3A and without cofactor bound at 2.4A resolution together with a model of a ternary complex consisting of 5beta-POR, NADP(+), and progesterone. Indeed, 5beta-POR displays the fold of an extended SDR. The architecture of the active site is, however, unprecedented because none of the standard catalytic residues are structurally conserved. A tyrosine (Tyr-179) and a lysine residue (Lys-147) are present in the active site, but they are displayed from novel positions and are part of novel sequence motifs. Mutating Tyr-179 to either alanine or phenylalanine completely abolishes the enzymatic activity. We propose that the distinct topology reflects the fact that 5beta-POR reduces a conjugated double bond in a steroid substrate via a 1-4 addition mechanism and that this requires a repositioning of the catalytically important residues. Our observation that the sequence motifs that line the active site are conserved in a number of bacterial and plant enzymes of yet unknown function leads us to the proposition that 5beta-POR defines a novel class of SDRs.

Delta 5-3beta-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase (3 beta HSD) from Digitalis lanata. Heterologous expression and characterisation of the recombinant enzyme.

During the biosynthesis of cardiac glycosides, Delta (5)-3beta-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase (3 beta HSD, EC 1.1.1.51) converts pregnenolone (5-pregnen-3beta-ol-20-one) to isoprogesterone (5-pregnene-3,20-dione). A 3 beta HSD gene was isolated from leaves of Digitalis lanata. It consisted of 870 nucleotides containing a 90 nucleotide long intron. A full-length cDNA clone that encodes 3 beta HSD was isolated by RT-PCR from the same source. A SPH I /KPN I 3 beta HSD cDNA was cloned into the pQE30 vector and then transferred into E. COLI strain M15[pREP4]. 3 beta HSD cDNA was functionally expressed as a His-tagged fusion protein (pQ3 beta HSD) composed of 273 amino acids (calculated molecular mass 28,561 Da). pQ3 beta HSD was purified by metal chelate affinity chromatography on Ni-NTA. Pregnenolone and other 3beta-hydroxypregnanes but not cholesterol were 3beta-oxidised by pQ3 beta HSD when NAD was used as the co-substrate. Testosterone (4-androsten-17beta-ol-3-one) was converted to 4-androstene-3,17-dione indicating that the pQ3 beta HSD has also 17beta-dehydrogenase activity. pQ3 beta HSD was able to reduce 3-keto steroids to their corresponding 3beta-hydroxy derivatives when NADH was used as the co-substrate. For comparison, 3 beta HSD genes were isolated and sequenced from another 6 species of the genus DIGITALIS. Gene structure and the deduced 3 beta HSD proteins share a high degree of similarity.

Molecular cloning and expression of progesterone 5beta-reductase (5beta-POR) from Isoplexis canariensis.

A full-length cDNA clone that encodes progesterone 5beta-reductase (5beta-POR, EC 1.3.1.3) was isolated from ISOPLEXIS CANARIENSIS leaves. The reading frame of the IC5beta-POR gene is 1170 nucleotides corresponding to 389 amino acids. The SPHI /SALI IC5beta-POR fragment was cloned into the pQE vector system and then transformed into ESCHERICHIA COLI strain M15[pREP4]. The gene was functionally expressed and the recombinant enzyme was characterised. K(m) and V(max) were calculated to be 0.215 mM and 46.4 nkat/mg protein, respectively, using progesterone as the substrate. Kinetic constants for cortisol, cortexone, 4-androstene-3,17-dione and NADPH were also determined. The 5beta-POR from I. CANARIENSIS shows a significant homology to the putative progesterone 5beta-reductases isolated from other plant species, such as DIGITALIS LANATA and ARABIDOPSIS THALIANA.