Porcine 80-kDa protein reveals intrinsic 17 beta-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase, fatty acyl-CoA-hydratase/dehydrogenase, and sterol transfer activities.

Four types of 17beta-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenases have been identified so far. The porcine peroxisomal 17beta-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase type IV catalyzes the oxidation of estradiol with high preference over the reduction of estrone. A 2.9-kilobase mRNA codes for an 80-kDa (737 amino acids) protein featuring domains which are not present in the other 17beta-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenases. The 80-kDa protein is N terminally cleaved to a 32-kDa fragment with 17beta-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase activity. Here we show for the first time that both the 80-kDa and the N-terminal 32 kDa (amino acids 1-323) peptides are able to perform the dehydrogenase reaction not only with steroids at the C17 position but also with 3-hydroxyacyl-CoA. The central part of the 80-kDa protein (amino acids 324-596) catalyzes the 2-enoyl-acyl-CoA hydratase reaction with high efficiency. The C-terminal part of the 80-kDa protein (amino acids 597-737) is similar to sterol carrier protein 2 and facilitates the transfer of 7-dehydrocholesterol and phosphatidylcholine between membranes in vitro. The unique multidomain structure of the 80-kDa protein allows for the catalysis of several reactions so far thought to be performed by complexes of different enzymes.