Homozygous deletion of three nucleotides coding for Ser-171 (S171) of TAL-H (human transaldolase) has been identified in a female patient with liver cirrhosis. Accumulation of sedoheptulose 7-phosphate raised the possibility of TAL (transaldolase) deficiency in this patient. In the present study, we show that the mutant TAL-H gene was effectively transcribed into mRNA, whereas no expression of the TALDeltaS171 protein or enzyme activity was detected in TALDeltaS171 fibroblasts or lymphoblasts. Unlike wild-type TAL-H-GST fusion protein (where GST stands for glutathione S-transferase), TALDeltaS171-GST was solubilized only in the presence of detergents, suggesting that deletion of Ser-171 caused conformational changes. Recombinant TALDeltaS171 had no enzymic activity. TALDeltaS171 was effectively translated in vitro using rabbit reticulocyte lysates, indicating that the absence of TAL-H protein in TALDeltaS171 fibroblasts and lymphoblasts may be attributed primarily to rapid degradation. Treatment with cell-permeable proteasome inhibitors led to the accumulation of TALDeltaS171 in whole cell lysates and cytosolic extracts of patient lymphoblasts, suggesting that deletion of Ser-171 led to rapid degradation by the proteasome. Although the TALDeltaS171 protein became readily detectable in proteasome inhibitor-treated cells, it displayed no appreciable enzymic activity. The results suggest that deletion of Ser-171 leads to inactivation and proteasome-mediated degradation of TAL-H. Since TAL-H is a regulator of apoptosis signal processing, complete deficiency of TAL-H may be relevant for the pathogenesis of liver cirrhosis.