15 kDa selenoprotein is aprotein that in humans is encoded by theSEP15gene.[5] Two alternatively spliced transcript variants encoding distinctisoforms have been found for this gene.
This gene encodes aselenoprotein, which contains aselenocysteine (Sec) residue at its active site. The selenocysteine is encoded by theUGAcodon that normally signals translation termination. The 3' UTR of selenoprotein genes have a commonstem-loop structure, the sec insertion sequence (SECIS), that is necessary for the recognition of UGA as a Sec codon rather than as a stop signal. Studies in mouse suggest that this selenoprotein may haveredox function and may be involved in the quality control ofprotein folding.[5]
Recent studies have shown in mice, where the SEP15 gene has beensilenced the mice subsequently became deficient in SEP15 and were able to inhibit the development of colorectal cancer.[7]
The particular structure has an alpha/beta central domain which is actually made up of threealpha helices and a mixed parallel/anti-parallel four-strandedbeta-sheet.[6]
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