Amino containing selenium

There is also a significant occurrence of nonprotein D-amino acids in nature.These amino acids have attractive structural variations and remarkable biological properties. However, this chapter will not include details on nonprotein D-amino acids. Selenium-containing amino acids, such as selenocysteine and selenomethionine, are also considered as unusual amino acids. Recently, much interest in selenium-containing amino acids has emerged. More information about selenium-containing amino acids is available in Chapter 5.05. 

The vast majority of research focused on selenium in biology (primarily in the fields of molecular biology, cell biology, and biochemistry) over the past 20 years has centered on identification and characterization of specific selenoproteins, or proteins that contain selenium in the form of selenocysteine. In addition, studies to determine the unique machinery necessary for incorporation of a nonstandard amino acid (L-selenocysteine) during translation also have been central to our understanding of how cells can utilize this metalloid. This process has been studied in bacterial models (primarily Escherichia colt) and more recently in mammals in vitro cell culture and animal models). In this work, we will review the biosynthesis of selenoproteins in bacterial systems, and only briefly review what is currently known about parallel pathways in mammals, since a comprehensive review in this area has been recently published. Moreover, we summarize the global picture of the nonspecific and specific use of selenium from a broader perspective, one that includes lesser known pathways for selenium utilization into modified nucleosides in tRNA and a labile selenium cofactor. We also review recent research on newly identified mammalian selenoproteins and discuss their role in mammalian cell biology. 

Selenocysteine is a special case. This rare amino acid residue is introduced during protein synthesis rather than created through a postsynthetic modification. It contains selenium rather than the sulfur of cysteine. Actually derived from serine, selenocysteine is a constituent of just a few known proteins. 

Selenoamino acids amino acids containing selenium (Se) in plaee of sulfur (S), e.g. Se-methylseleno-cysteine. They are formed in plants growing on Se-rich soils. See Selenium. 

Selenocysteine In most foods of both vegetable and animal origin, selenocysteine is the main form of selenium bound in proteins. The content of this amino acid, as well as the contents of other amino acids and peptides containing selenium (L-selenocystine, Se-methyl-L-selenocysteine, l,l-selenocystathionine, l-selenomethionine and y-glutamyl-Se-methyl-L-selenocysteine), is unknown. Selenocysteine is typically located in a small number of active centres of proteins of Archaea, bacteria and eukaryotes (in glutathione... 

The forms of selenium in plants are better known than their biochemical formation. Most of the organic forms are sulfur analogs and the pathways may be similar to sulfur compound formation [47]. Nisson and Benson [37] suggested the following pathway for reduction of selenate to selenite, which is the form which reacts to form amino acids containing selenium. 

Although it had been assumed that only hypoxanthine dehydrogenase is required for the conversion of hypoxanthine (6-hydroxypurine) into uric acid, in Clostridium purinolyti-cum, two enzymes, both of which contain a selenium cofactor, are required. The enzymes differ in the molecular mass of their subunits, in their terminal amino acid sequences, in their kinetic parameters, and in their specific activities for purines (Self and Stadman 2000). Purine hydroxylase converts purine into hypoxanthine and xanthine (2,6-dihy-droxypurine), which is then further hydroxylated to uric acid (2,6,8-trihydroxypurine) by xanthine dehydrogenase (Self 2002). 

Forman, H.J., Rotman, E.I. and Fisher, A.B. (1983). Roles of selenium and sulfur-containing amino acids in protection against oxygen toxicity. Lab. Invest. 49, 148-153. 

The building blocks of proteins are the alpha-amino acids, and exclusively those with the L-configuration. There are 20 that occur in na- ture. They too all consist of the four elements C, H, N, and 0 two amino acids additionally contain sulfur (cysteine and methionine). In certain, but vital, enzymes (the peroxidases), sulfur is replaced by selenium. 

In his approach toward selenium-containing heterocycles with potential biological activity, Abdel-Hafez reacted 2-amino-3-(4,5-dihydro-17/-imidazol-2-yl)-4,5,6,7-tetrahydro-l-benzoselenophene 297 with triethyl orthoformate and benzaldehyde to generate the tricyclic systems 296 and 298, respectively (Scheme 21) <2005RJ0396>. Similarly, reaction with carbon disulfide gave the corresponding thiourea 299. 

Therefore the problem of searching retardants for these chain reactions of free radicals is critical. For instance, it is known that sulfur-containing amino acid (cysteine) attracts unpaired electrons of protein [2,3], Similar properties are reported about selenium, the element of the same subgroup Vl-a of the System as sulfur [4],... 

Selenium is present in meat, seafood and cereals. The former two contain the highest levels. It is present in soil as inorganic selenium that enters the food chain via plants. In plant protein, it is present as selenomethionine and in animals as selenocysteine this difference is due to the metabolism of selenomethionine in the liver as part of the normal catabolic pathway for methionine (Chapter 8). Somewhat surprisingly, selenocysteine is incorporated into protein via a specific tRNA which possesses a UCA anticodon for this amino acid. 

In humans, the major pathway in the metabolism of the thyroid hormones consists of the removal of iodine or deiodination. Three deiodinase isoenzymes, encoded on three distinct genes, catalyze the reductive deiodination. All three enzymes contain the rare amino acid seleno-cysteine. The essential trace element selenium therefore plays an important role in thyroid hormone economy. 

It is well known that a great variety of biomolecules exist where metals and metalloids are bound to proteins and peptides, coordinated by nucleic acids or complexed by polysaccharides and small organic ligands such as organic acids.55 Most proteins contain amino acids with covalently bonded heteroelements such as sulphur, selenium, phosphorus or iodine.51 Several reviews have been published on the development of mass spectrometric techniques for bioanalysis in metal-lomics , which integrate work on metalloproteins, metalloenzymes and other metal containing biomolecules.1 51 53 54 56-59 The authors consider trace metals, metalloids, P and S (so-called... 

---