SELENON

Selenoprotein N is a protein that in humans is encoded by the SEPN1 gene.

Function
This gene encodes a selenoprotein, which contains a selenocysteine (Sec) residue at its active site. The selenocysteine is encoded by the UGA codon that normally signals translation termination. The 3' UTR of selenoprotein genes have a common stem-loop structure, the sec insertion sequence (SECIS), that is necessary for the recognition of UGA as a Sec codon rather than as a stop signal. Pathogenic Mutations in SEPN1 gene (SELENON) can cause the classical phenotype of multiminicore disease and congenital muscular dystrophy with spinal rigidity and restrictive respiratory syndrome known as SEPN1-related congenital muscular dystrophy or rigid spine syndrome. Two alternatively spliced transcript variants encoding distinct isoforms have been found for this gene.