Selenium: Its Molecular Biology and Role in Human Health.

Contributors.- Foreword.- Preface.- Acknowledgements.- Selenium: A historical perspective.- Part I Biosynthesis of selenocysteine and its incorporation into protein: Selenium metabolism in prokaryotes.- Mammalian and other eukaryotic selenocysteine tRNAs.- Evolution of selenocysteine decoding and the key role of seleno-phosphate synthetase in the pathway of selenium utilization.- SECIS RNAs and K-turn binding proteins. A survey of evolutionary conserved RNA and protein motifs.- SECIS binding proteins and eukaryotic selenoprotein synthesis.- The importance of subcellular localization of SBP2 and EFsec for selenoprotein synthesis.- Selenocysteine biosynthesis and incorporation may require supramolecular complexes.- Part II Selenium-containing proteins: Deletion of selenoprotein P gene in the mouse.- Selenium and methionine sulfoxide reduction.- Selenoprotein W in development and oxidative stress.- The 15-kDa selenoprotein (Sep15): functional analysis and role in cancer.- Regulation of glutathione peroxidase-1 expression.- Selenoproteins of the glutathione system.- New roles of glutathione peroxidase-1 in oxidative stress and diabetes.- Selenoproteins of the thioredoxin system.- Mitochrondrial and cytosolic thioredoxin reductase knockout mice.- Selenium, deiodinases and endocrine function.- Biotechnology of selenium.- Part III Selenium and human health: Selenium, selenoproteins and brain function.- Selenium as a cancer preventive agent.- Peering down the kaleidoscope of thiol proteomics and unfolded protein response in studying the anticancer action of selenium.- Genetic variation among selenoprotein genes and cancer.- Selenium and viral infections.- Role of selenium in HIV/AIDS.- Effects of selenium on immunity and aging.- Selenium and male reproduction.- Mouse models for assessing the role of selenium in health and development.- Drosophila as a tool for studying selenium metabolism and role of selenoproteins.- Selenium in parasites.- Incorporating 'omics' approaches to elucidate the role of selenium and selenoproteins in cancer prevention.- Selenium-induced apoptosis.- Selenoprotein mimics.- Update of human dietary standards for selenium.- Index.