Description
Product Characteristics:
Catalyzes a rate-limiting step in cholesterol catabolism and bile acid biosynthesis by introducing a hydrophilic moiety at position 7 of cholesterol. Important for cholesterol homeostasis.
Subcellular location: Cell membrane
Synonyms: CP7A, CYP7, CYPVII, Cholesterol 7-alpha-monooxygenase, Cholesterol 7-alpha-hydroxylase, Cytochrome P45 7A1, CYP7A1
Target Information: This gene encodes a member of the cytochrome P450 superfamily of enzymes. The cytochrome P450 proteins are monooxygenases which catalyze many reactions involved in drug metabolism and synthesis of cholesterol, steroids and other lipids. This endoplasmic reticulum membrane protein catalyzes the first reaction in the cholesterol catabolic pathway in the liver, which converts cholesterol to bile acids. This reaction is the rate limiting step and the major site of regulation of bile acid synthesis, which is the primary mechanism for the removal of cholesterol from the body. Polymorphisms in the promoter of this gene are associated with defects in bile acid synthesis. [provided by RefSeq, Feb 2010]