The rat P450 IID subfamily: complete sequences of four closely linked genes and evidence that gene conversions maintained sequence homogeneity at the heme-binding region of the cytochrome P450 active site.

Four genes in the P450 IID gene subfamily were isolated from Sprague-Dawley rat lambda EMBL 3 and Charon 4A genomic libraries and completely sequenced. Their transcription start sites were determined by primer extension analysis. The four genes designated IID2, IID3, IID4, and IID5 span 4036, 4371, 4678, and 4567 bp, respectively, and are closely linked head to tail on a 60-kb segment of DNA. All IID genes contained nine exons, and interestingly, the IID2, IID3, and IID4 genes possessed an atypical GC5' splice junction in intron 2. All four genes are transcribed, however, IID4 mRNA is produced at a level of less than one-tenth of those of IID2, IID3, and IID5. The exonic regions of these genes displayed from 79 to 84% sequence similarties. Several regions of extremely high nucleotide similarity were found within the introns, exons, and in the flanking regions of the four genes. These localized areas of high nucleotide similarities are the result of former gene conversion events. Of interest was the finding that the most highly similar region of all IID genes that was maintained by gene conversion covers portions of the eighth and ninth exons and the eighth intron. The ninth exon codes for a region of the P450 protein that is well conserved among all P450 gene families and in all species and that is associated with the noncovalently bound heme iron at the enzyme's active site. These data indicate that gene conversions have maintained sequence homogeneity within a critical region of the four P450 IID proteins.