title: Selenoprotein synthesis: an expansion of the genetic code.
abstract: A number of enzymes employ the unusual amino acid selenocysteine as part of their active site because of its high chemical reactivity. Selenocysteine is incorporated into these proteins co-translationally: biosynthesis occurs on a specific tRNA and insertion into a growing polypeptide is directed by a UGA codon in the mRNA. In E. coli, this requires a specific translation factor. Selenocysteine thus represents a unique expansion of the genetic code.
authors.affiliation: Lehrstuhl für Mikrobiologie, Universität München, FRG.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Böck
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Forchhammer
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Heider
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Baron
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001483:Base Sequence; D003062:Codon; D003545:Cysteine / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics; D004926:Escherichia coli / Q000235:genetics; D005815:Genetic Code; D006801:Humans; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D016566:Organoselenium Compounds; D014176:Protein Biosynthesis; D011506:Proteins / Q000235:genetics; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000235:genetics; D012345:RNA, Transfer, Amino Acid-Specific / Q000235:genetics; D012643:Selenium / Q000378:metabolism*; D017279:Selenocysteine; D051140:Selenoproteins
chemical_list: D003062:Codon; D016566:Organoselenium Compounds; D011506:Proteins; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D012345:RNA, Transfer, Amino Acid-Specific; D051140:Selenoproteins; D017279:Selenocysteine; D012643:Selenium; D003545:Cysteine