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Updated: Feb 22, 2026

Author Spotlight: Advancing Structural and Biochemical Studies of Proteins Through Thermal Shift Assays
Published on: August 9, 2024
Selenocysteine tRNA[Ser]Sec, the Central Component of Selenoprotein Biosynthesis: Isolation, Identification,
Bradley A Carlson1, Byeong Jae Lee2, Petra A Tsuji3
1Molecular Biology of Selenium Section, Mouse Cancer Genetics Program, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, 20814, USA. carlsonb@mail.nih.gov.
Abstract:
The selenocysteine (Sec) tRNA[Ser]Sec population consists of two isoforms that differ from each other by a single 2'-O-methylribosyl moiety at position 34 (Um34). These two isoforms, which are encoded in a single gene, Trsp, and modified posttranscriptionally, are involved individually in the synthesis of two subclasses of selenoproteins, designated housekeeping and stress-related selenoproteins. Techniques used in obtaining these isoforms for their characterization include extraction of RNA from mammalian cells and tissues, purifying the tRNA[Ser]Sec population by one or more procedures, and finally resolving the two isoforms from each other. Since some of the older techniques for isolating tRNA[Ser]Sec and resolving the isoforms are used in only a few laboratories, these procedures will be discussed briefly and references provided for more detailed information, while the more recently developed procedures are discussed in detail. In addition, a novel technique that was developed in sequencing tRNA[Ser]Sec for identifying their occurrence in other organisms is also presented.
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