Six-base deletion occurring in messages of human cytochrome P-450 in the CYP2C subfamily results in reduction of tolbutamide hydroxylase activity.

We isolated and expressed a clone, hPA6, possibly corresponding to the CYP2C9 cDNA. Compared with the other CYP2C9 cDNA clones, hPA6 showed a 6-nucleotide deletion near its middle. From the same cDNA library, we could also isolate another cDNA clone, named hPA22, which retained the 6 bases. For clarification of the effect of the 2-amino acid deletion resulting from the 6-base deletion on enzymatic activities, both clones were expressed in yeast. The expressed enzymes showed tolbutamide hydroxylase activities, and these activities were inhibited by antibodies against P-450-HM2, a probable CYP2C9. The activity of the enzyme encoded by hPA6 was lower than that encoded by hPA22; thus the 2-amino acid deletion in the CYP2C9 reduced the enzymatic activity.