Androgen and estrogen sulfotransferases of the rat liver: physiological function, molecular cloning, and in vitro expression

Cloning of the androgen and estrogen sulfotransferases has allowed studies on their spatio-temporal regulation and physiological function. These two enzymes appear to be involved in regulating target cell sensitivity for the androgenic and estrogenic steroids. Recombinant androgen sulfotransferase produced in insect Sf9 cells through a baculoviral expression vector is capable of transferring the sulfate from PAPS (phosphoadenosine phosphosulfate) to 3α, 3β, 17α, and 17β hydroxyl groups of a number of steroid substrates indicating a broad range of substrate specificity.