Selenium utilization strategy by microalgae.

ABSTRACT: The diversity of selenoproteins raises the question of why so many life forms require selenium. Selenoproteins are found in bacteria, archaea, and many eukaryotes. In photosynthetic microorganisms, the essential requirement for selenium has been reported in 33 species belonging to six phyla, although its biochemical significance is still unclear. According to genome databases, 20 species are defined as selenoprotein-producing organisms, including five photosynthetic organisms. In a marine coccolithophorid, Emiliania huxleyi (Haptophyta), we recently found unique characteristics of selenium utilization and novel selenoproteins using (75)Se-tracer experiments. In E. huxleyi, selenite, not selenate, is the main substrate used and its uptake is driven by an ATP-dependent high-affinity, active

SUBMITTER: Araie H 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6254913 | biostudies-literature | 2009 Nov

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature