Molecular cloning of a cDNA encoding aldosterone synthase cytochrome P‐450 in rat adrenal cortex

Abstract
Using an oligonucleotide probe designed on the basis of the N‐terminal amino acid sequence of purified rat aldosterone synthase cytochrome P‐450 [(1989) J. Biol. Chem. 264 10935] we have isolated from rat adrenal cDNA library a 2687 base pair cDNA that encodes a protein of 500 amino acid residues. The deduced amino acid sequence contained the regions well conserved among all cytochrome P‐450s sequenced to date, and also a portion (residues 25–44) which was identical to the N‐terminal peptide sequence of rat aldosterone synthase cytochrome P‐450. These results indicate that the cDNA encodes a precursor form of rat aldosterone synthase cytochrome P‐450.