Premium
How an obscure archaeal gene inspired the discovery of selenocysteine biosynthesis in humans
Author(s) -
Su Dan,
Hohn Michael J.,
Palioura Sotiria,
Sherrer R. Lynn,
Yuan Jing,
Söll Dieter,
O'Donoghue Patrick
Publication year - 2009
Publication title -
iubmb life
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.132
H-Index - 113
eISSN - 1521-6551
pISSN - 1521-6543
DOI - 10.1002/iub.136
Subject(s) - selenocysteine , archaea , biosynthesis , gene , biochemistry , transfer rna , biology , genetic code , amino acid , cysteine , genetics , chemistry , rna , enzyme
Selenocysteine (Sec) is the 21st genetically encoded amino acid found in organisms from all three domains of life. Sec biosynthesis is unique in that it always proceeds from an aminoacyl‐tRNA precursor. Even though Sec biosynthesis in bacteria was established almost two decades ago, only recently the pathway was elucidated in archaea and eukaryotes. While other aspects of Sec biology have been reviewed previously (Allmang and Krol, Biochimie 2006;88:1561–1571, Hatfield et al., Prog Nucleic Acid Res Mol Biol 2006;81:97–142, Squires and Berry, IUBMB Life 2008;60:232–235), here we review the biochemistry and evolution of Sec biosynthesis and coding and show how the knowledge of an archaeal cysteine biosynthesis pathway helped to uncover the route to Sec formation in archaea and eukaryotes. © 2008 IUBMB IUBMB Life, 61(1): 35–39, 2009