What is Selenocysteine Insertion Sequence (SECIS)?
The Selenocysteine Insertion Sequence (SECIS) is a unique RNA element that is crucial for the incorporation of the amino acid selenocysteine into proteins. Selenocysteine is often referred to as the 21st amino acid and is known for its role in the catalysis of redox reactions in selenoproteins. Unlike other amino acids, selenocysteine is inserted into a growing polypeptide chain at a specific UGA codon, which typically signals a stop in translation.
