Background: Selenoproteins contain the twenty-first amino acid, selenocysteine, and are involved in cellular defenses against oxidative damage, important metabolic and developmental pathways, and responses to environmental challenges. Elucidating the mechanisms regulating selenoprotein expression at the transcriptional level is a key to understanding how these mechanisms are called into play to respond to the changing environment.
Methods: This review summarizes published studies on transcriptional regulation of selenoprotein genes, focused primarily on genes whose encoded protein functions are at least partially understood. This is followed by in silico analysis of predicted regulatory elements in selenoprotein genes, including those in the aforementioned category as well as the genes whose functions are not known.
Results: Our findings reveal regulatory pathways common to many selenoprotein genes, including several involved in stress-responses. In addition, tissue-specific regulatory factors are implicated in regulating many selenoprotein genes.
Conclusions: These studies provide new insights into how selenoprotein genes respond to environmental and other challenges, and the roles these proteins play in allowing cells to adapt to these changes.
General significance: Elucidating the regulatory mechanisms affecting selenoprotein expression is essential for understanding their roles in human diseases, and for developing diagnostic and potential therapeutic approaches to address dysregulation of members of this gene family.