Selenoproteins

A selenoprotein is any protein that includes a selenocysteine residue. Selenoproteins exist in all major forms of life, eukaryote, eubacteria and archaea.

Several components of the selenoprotein synthesis machinery are conserved between different species, suggesting an important role of selenoproteins in cell function.

Selenoproteins act mostly as redox enzymes.
The antioxidant properties of selenoproteins help preventing cellular damage from free radicals while other selenoproteins regulate thyroid function and play important roles in the immune system.

The antioxidant functions of selenoproteins are crucial for protecting membranes, nucleic acids and proteins from cumulative oxidative damage. This acumulative damage has been implicated in neurodegenerative and cardiovascular diseases, aging and cancer.

Those interested in the relationship between selenoproteins and human health might like to take a look at this brief abstarct.

We chose the following selenoproteins to carry out our study:

Selenoprotein H Selenoprotein K Selenoprotein V

NEXT

BACK

MAIN