Identification of cortisone 5 beta-reductase as delta 4-3-ketosteroid 5 beta-reductase

Cortisone 5 beta-reductase (4,5 beta-dihydrocortisone:NADP+ delta 4-oxidoreductase, EC 1.3.1.3) was purified from rat liver 100,000 X g supernate to a homogeneous state based on the catalytic activity. In the course of purification the activity was always accompanied by androstenedione 5 beta-reductase (3-oxo-5 beta-steroid:NADP+ delta 4-oxidoreductase, EC 1.3.1.23) and no fraction which revealed only cortisone 5 beta-reductase activity but lacked androstenedione 5 beta-reductase was observed. Partial denaturation of the purified enzyme with p-chloromercuribenzoate or wtih heat reduced both enzyme activities to a similar extent. When both substrates were added together at concentrations sufficient to saturate or nearly saturate the enzyme when added separately, the total rate of the reactions was much less than the sum of the rates of the reactions measured separately. Judging from these results it was concluded that cortisone 5 beta-reduction and that of androstenedione are catalyzed by the same catalytic site of a single protein.