Mouse models for assessing the role of selenoproteins in health and development

Mouse models have been generated to assess the roles of selenoproteins involved with housekeeping tasks and/or stress-related pheno-mena in development and health. Each mouse model has taken advantage of the fact that the synthesis of all selenoproteins is dependent on the expression of two selenoeysteine (See) tRNA^[Ser]Sec isoforms that differ from each other by a single methyl group on the ribosyl moiety at position 34. The endogenous Sec tRNA^[SerlSsc population was selectively altered by generating mouse models involving 1) transgenic animals carrying mutant or wild type Sec tRNA^[Ser]Sec transgenes, 2) conditional knockout animals carrying a floxed Sec tRNA^[Ser]Sec gene that was targeted for removal in specific tissues and organs using loxP-Cre technology and 3) transgenic/standard knockout animals carrying mutant or wild type transgenes and a knockout of the Sec tRNA^[Ser]Sec gene wherein the animal's survival is dependent on the transgene. These mouse models perturbed selenoprotein expression, often in a protein- and tissue-specific manner, permitting us to better assess their function in health and development.