STEROL SIDE CHAIN-CLEAVING ENZYME PROTEIN AND USE THEREOF

摘要

It is an object of the present invention to obtain highly active P450scc enzyme protein which is is an important enzyme protein that catalyzes the first step of the biosynthesis of industrially useful steroid hormone. The present invention provides a sterol side chain cleavage enzyme protein having the following physicochemical properties:
(1) action: the enzyme acts on sterol represented by formula (I) as defeined in the specifciatin and cleaves the carbon-carbon bond between positions 20 and 22 of a sterol side chain portion by its activity of cleaving the bonds, so as to generate a compound represented by formula (II) as defeined in the specifciatin;
(2) substrate specificity: when microorganisms that produce the enzyme protein are allowed to react with an aqueous solution containing 100 µg/ml 4-cholesten-3-onc or cholesterol at 28°C for 5 hours, the conversion reaction rate from 4-cholesten-3-one to progesterone is 10% or more, and the conversion rate from cholesterol to pregnenolone is 10% or more;