Selenocysteine: Difference between revisions
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Selenocysteine is called the 21st [[Amino Acids|amino acid]]<ref name='21st'>PMID: 11028985</ref>. | Selenocysteine (Sec) is called the 21st [[Amino Acids|amino acid]]<ref name='21st'>PMID: 11028985</ref>. It is incorporated into rare proteins in all domains of life, and is essential for life. When the UGA stop codon is accompanied by a [[#Translation from UGA Stop Codon|suitable signal]], it is translated as Sec instead of stopping translation. | ||
==Importance== | ==Importance== | ||
==Translation from UGA Stop Codon== | ==Translation from UGA Stop Codon== | ||
==Structure and Synthesis== | ==Structure and Synthesis== | ||
Cysteine (Cys) has a sulfur-containing side chain '''-CH<sub>2</sub>-SH''. In selenocysteine, the sulfur is replaced with selenium, making the side chain''' -CH<sub>2</sub>-SeH'''. | |||
Sec differs from the [[Amino Acids|20 standard amino acids]] because, in all domains of life, it lacks its own tRNA synthetase, and is synthesized from Ser covalently linked to tRNA<sup>Sec</sup>. | |||
==Notes and References== | ==Notes and References== | ||
<references /> | <references /> | ||