Description
Background: Glutathione peroxidase catalyzes the reduction of hydrogen peroxide, organic hydroperoxide, and lipid peroxides by reduced glutathione and functions in the protection of cells against oxidative damage. Human plasma glutathione peroxidase has been shown to be a selenium-containing enzyme and the UGA codon is translated into a selenocysteine. Through alternative splicing and transcription initiation, rat produces proteins that localize to the nucleus, mitochondrion, and cytoplasm. In humans, experimental evidence for alternative splicing exists; alternative transcription initiation and the cleavage sites of the mitochondrial and nuclear transit peptides need to be experimentally verified. [provided by RefSeq, Jul 2008]