• Journal of Life Science
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• v.8 no.6
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• pp.695-701
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• 1998

This study was carried out to investigate levels of the components of microsomal mixed function oxidase (MFO) system and activities of the hepatic microsomal cytochrome P45O (P45O)-dependent monooxygenases of grass snake (Natrix tigrina Lateralis) and to compare with those of rat. The levels of P45O and cytochrome b$_{5}$, (b$_{5}$) of snake were much lower than those in rat. NADPH-cytochrome c reductase activity in the snake was also only 40% of that in the rat. Activities of 7-ethoxycoumarin 0-deethylase (ECOD) and benzphetamine N-demethylase (BPDM) of snake hepatic microsomes, when compared with those of rat, were markedly low. But, aryl hydrocarbon hydroxylase (AHH) and testosterone hydroxylase (TSH) activities were nearly the same or higher than those of the rat. Of the P45O-dependent TSHs measured, 7$\alpha$-hydroxylase activity was the highest in snake, whereas, 6$\beta$-hydroxylase activity was the highest in rat. However, stereoselectivity of the enzyme from the snake to C2 and C6 positions of testoste-rone was the same as rat. The result of radioimmunoassay (RIA) for the identification of five P45O isozymes with MAbs shows that relatively high content of ethanol-inducible P45O isozyme, CYP2El, exists in the rat, whereas MC-inducible P45O isozyme, CYP2A1/1A2, does in the snake. From the analyses of SDS-PAGE and RIA of partially pu-rified P45O, we suggest the possibility of the presence of a certain P45O isozyme(s) in hepatic microsomes of snake different from those of rat.