SELENOP, Official Symbol SELENOPprovided by HGNC Official Full Name selenoprotein Pprovided by HGNC Primary source HGNC:HGNC:10751 See related Ensembl:ENSG00000250722 MIM:601484; AllianceGenome:HGNC:10751 Gene type protein coding RefSeq status REVIEWED Organism Homo sapiens Lineage Eukaryota; Metazoa; Chordata; Craniata; Vertebrata; Euteleostomi; Mammalia; Eutheria; Euarchontoglires; Primates; Haplorrhini; Catarrhini; Hominidae; Homo Also known as SeP; SELP; SEPP; SEPP1 Summary This gene encodes a selenoprotein that is predominantly expressed in the liver and secreted into the plasma. This selenoprotein is unique in that it contains multiple selenocysteine (Sec) residues per polypeptide (10 in human), and accounts for most of the selenium in plasma. It has been implicated as an extracellular antioxidant, and in the transport of selenium to extra-hepatic tissues via apolipoprotein E receptor-2 (apoER2). Mice lacking this gene exhibit neurological dysfunction, suggesting its importance in normal brain function. Sec is encoded by the UGA codon, which normally signals translation termination. The 3' UTRs of selenoprotein mRNAs contain a conserved stem-loop structure, designated the Sec insertion sequence (SECIS) element, that is necessary for the recognition of UGA as a Sec codon, rather than as a stop signal. The mRNA for this selenoprotein contains two SECIS elements. The use of alternative polyadenylation sites, one located in between the two SECIS elements, results in two populations of mRNAs containing either both (predominant) or just the upstream SECIS element (PMID:27881738). Alternatively spliced transcript variants have also been found for this gene. [provided by RefSeq, Oct 2018] Expression Broad expression in liver (RPKM 1192.8), small intestine (RPKM 1057.6) and 22 other tissues See more Orthologs mouse all