A clone of cardenolide 16′-O-glucohydrolase cDNA (CGH I) was obtained from Digitalis lanata which encodes a protein of 642 amino acids (calculated molecular mass 73.2 kDa). The amino acid sequence derived from CGH I showed high homology to a widely distributed family of β-glucohydrolases (glycosyl hydrolases family 1). The recombinant CGH I proteinproduced in Escherichia coli had CGH I activity. CGH I mRNA was detected in leaves, flowers, stems and fruits of D. lanata.
