Analysis of Novel Interactions between Components of the Selenocysteine Biosynthesis Pathway, SEPHS1, SEPHS2, SEPSECS, and SECp43.

In mammalian cells, the incorporation of the 21st amino acid, selenocysteine, into proteins is guided by the Sec machinery. The function of this protein complex requires several protein-protein and protein-RNA interactions, leading to the incorporation of selenocysteine at UGA codons. It is guided by stem-loop structures localized in the 3' untranslated regions of the selenoprotein-encoding genes. Here, we conducted a global analysis of interactions between the Sec biosynthesis and incorporation components using a bioluminescence resonance energy transfer assay in mammalian cells that showed that selenocysteine synthase (SEPSECS), SECp43, and selenophosphate synthetases SEPHS1 and SEPHS2 form oligomers in eukaryotic cells. We also showed that SEPHS2 interacts with SEPSECS and SEPHS1; these interactions were confirmed by co-immunoprecipitation. To further analyze the interactions of SECp43, the protein was expressed in Escherichia coli, and small-angle X-ray scattering analysis revealed that it is a globular protein comprising two RNA-binding domains. Using phage display, we identified potential interaction sites and highlighted two residues (K166 and P167) required for its dimerization. The SECp43 structural model presented here constitutes the basis of future exploration of the protein-protein interactions among early components of the selenocysteine biosynthesis and incorporation pathway.