Dehydrogenase/Reductase SDR Family, Member 7 (DHRS7)

Short-chain dehydrogenases/reductases (SDRs), such as DHRS7, catalyze the oxidation/reduction of a wide range of substrates, including retinoids and steroids.By searching EST databases for SDRs, followed by 3-prime and 5-prime RACE and nested PCR of a human retina cDNA library, Haeseleer and Palczewski (2000) cloned DHRS7, which they called RETSDR4. The deduced 289-amino acid protein has a calculated molecular mass of 32.3 kD. It has all the characteristics of SDRs, including a cofactor-binding Rossman-fold domain and highly conserved motifs in the nucleotide-binding site and active site. Northern blot analysis detected DHRS7 expression in all tissues examined.