UDP Glucuronosyltransferase 2 Family, Polypeptide B11 (UGT2B11)

Members of the UGT2B gene subfamily encode enzymes that conjugate glucuronic acid to bile salts and steroid hormones. By screening a human prostate cDNA library with a pool of UGT2B cDNAs, Beaulieu et al. (1998) identified cDNAs encoding UGT2B11, a novel member of the UGT2B subfamily. The predicted 529-amino acid protein contains a putative leader sequence and transmembrane domain. Recombinant UGT2B11 migrated as an approximately 52-kD protein in extracts of mammalian cells. RT-PCR analysis revealed that UGT2B11 is expressed in a wide range of human tissues. Beaulieu et al. (1998) noted similarities between the UGT2B11 and UGT2B10 proteins: they share 91% amino acid sequence identity and neither recombinant protein exhibited detectable glucuronosyltransferase activity towards any substrate tested.