Background
This gene encodes a UDP-glucuronosyltransferase, an enzyme of the glucuronidation
pathway that transforms small lipophilic molecules, such as steroids, bilirubin, hormones,
and drugs, into water-soluble, excretable metabolites. This gene is part of a complex locus
that encodes several UDP-glucuronosyltransferases. The locus includes thirteen unique
alternate first exons followed by four common exons. Four of the alternate first exons are
considered pseudogenes. Each of the remaining nine 5' exons may be spliced to the four
common exons, resulting in nine proteins with different N-termini and identical C-termini.
Each first exon encodes the substrate binding site, and is regulated by its own promoter. The
enzyme encoded by this gene is active on phenolic and planar compounds. Alternative
splicing in the unique 5' end of this gene results in two transcript variants
