This web page was produced as an assignment for Gen677 at UW-Madison Spring 2009.
Human Protein Network Homologous Protein Networks
The above diagram was taken from STRING 8.0 and shows the most likely interactions of SRD5A2 with other proteins in the human body. As you can see this protein interacts with four others that have the label UGT. This stands for the UDP-glucuronosyltransferase family of enzymes. The importance of these enzymes comes in regulating the activity of androgens. The addition of a glucuronosyl group makes them more hydrophilic and facilitates excretion (1). One can imagine how important the regulation of such potent chemicals in the body would be and it is functionally wise to have four different UGT interactions. Another important groupd of interacting proteins are the 3-beta hydroxysteroid dehydrogenases (HSD). These eznymes play an integral part in steroidogenesis, specifically testosterone (see diagram below). It seems very logical that the adjacent enzymes before and after testosterone would interact. By forming a complex, they may alter the thermodynamics of the reaction and make it much more favorable.
References
1. Park, J. et al. Deletion Polymorphism of UDP-Glucuronosyltransferase 2B17 and Risk of Prostate Cancer in African American and Caucasian Men. 2006. Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev. 15(8):1473-8
2. Jensen et al. STRING 8--a global view on proteins and their functional interactions in 630 organisms. 2009. Nucleic Acids Res. 37:D412-6. http://string.embl.de
