SECISBP2: Proteins and Enzymes

SECISBP2 is an RNA binding protein that interacts with the Sec insertion sequence (SECIS) element in selenoprotein mRNAs. The incorporation of selenocysteine into a protein requires the concerted action of an mRNA element called a sec insertion sequence (SECIS), a selenocysteine-specific translation elongation factor and a SECIS binding protein. With these elements in place, a UGA codon can be decoded as selenocysteine. Mutations in the SECISBP2 gene have been associated with a reduction in activity of a specific thyroxine deiodinase, a selenocysteine-containing enzyme, and abnormal thyroid hormone metabolism.