Sequence of the 11 beta-hydroxylase gene from the Cape baboon (Papio ursinus)

We investigated the nucleotide sequence of the steroid 11 beta-hydroxylase gene (CYP11B1) from the Cape baboon (Papio ursinus). Six primers, previously used in studies on human CYP11B1, were utilised to amplify three overlapping fragments (A, B and C) of the baboon CYP11B1 by the polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Sequence analysis of the three fragments yielded the sequence of all the exons of baboon CYP11B1. The open reading frame of 1509 bases shows 57 nucleotide exchanges when compared to the human resulting in 18 amino acid substitutions. For eight of these exchanges we found the amino acid which is common for human aldosterone synthase at the corresponding position. Most of the remaining 10 amino acid substitutions were conservative. Eight of the substitutions were located in the first four exons with a cluster in the second half of exon 3. One substitution was in exon 5 (F280L) and the 10th was C494F at the end of the protein.