2020 EJRNL PP Jennifer C. Peeler -1.pdf
Terbatas Irwan Sofiyan
» ITB
Terbatas Irwan Sofiyan
» ITB
Selenoproteins are the family of proteins
that contain the amino acid selenocysteine. Many selenoproteins,
including glutathione peroxidases and thioredoxin
reductases, play a role in maintaining cellular redox homeostasis.
There are a number of examples of homologues of
selenoproteins that utilize cysteine residues, raising the
question of why selenocysteines are utilized. One hypothesis
is that incorporation of selenocysteine protects against
irreversible overoxidation, typical of cysteine-containing
homologues under high oxidative stress. Studies of selenocysteine
function are hampered by challenges both in detection
and in recombinant expression of selenoproteins. In fact,
about half of the 25 known human selenoproteins remain
uncharacterized.