Identification of cytochrome P450 1B-like sequences in two teleost fish species (scup, Stenotomus chrysops and plaice, Pleuronectes platessa) and in a cetacean (striped dolphin, Stenella coeruleoalba)

The cytochromes P450 (CYP) constitute a multigene family of enzymes playing a critical role in the oxidation of many endogenous and xenobiotic substrates. The CYP1 family is of particular interest in environmental toxicology because its members are dominant in the metabolism of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) and aryl amines. Three members of the CYP1 family, CYP1A1, CYP1A2, and CYP1B1, have been identified in mammals. We report here on the identification and cloning of cytochrome P4501B-like sequences from two teleost fish species and a marine mammal. Sequences clustering with CYP1B1 in phylogenetic analysis were obtained from liver cDNA of scup (Stenotomus chrysops), genomic DNA of plaice (Pleuronectes platessa), and liver cDNA of striped dolphin (Stenella coeruleoalba).