Cytochrome P450 - Nomenclature

Nomenclature

Genes encoding CYP enzymes, and the enzymes themselves, are designated with the abbreviation CYP, followed by a number indicating the gene family, a capital letter indicating the subfamily, and another numeral for the individual gene. The convention is to italicise the name when referring to the gene. For example, CYP2E1 is the gene that encodes the enzyme CYP2E1 – one of the enzymes involved in paracetamol (acetaminophen) metabolism. The CYP nomenclature is the official naming convention, although occasionally (and incorrectly) CYP450 or CYP₄₅₀ is used. However, some gene or enzyme names for CYPs may differ from this nomenclature, denoting the catalytic activity and the name of the compound used as substrate. Examples include CYP5A1, thromboxane A₂ synthase, abbreviated to TBXAS1 (ThromBoXane A₂ Synthase 1), and CYP51A1, lanosterol 14-α-demethylase, sometimes unofficially abbreviated to LDM according to its substrate (Lanosterol) and activity (DeMethylation).

The current nomenclature guidelines suggest that members of new CYP families share >40% amino acid identity, while members of subfamilies must share >55% amino acid identity. There are nomenclature committees that assign and track both base gene names (Cytochrome P450 Homepage) and allele names (CYP Allele Nomenclature Committee).