Abstract
IN the past, biological interest in selenium has been centred around its toxic role as the cause of ‘alkali disease’ and ‘blind staggers’1 and as a source of industrial poisoning2. However, recent developments suggest a more important role for this element. Thus, it has been shown that selenium is an essential trace element for the rat3 and is stimulatory, if not essential, for the growth of certain plants4. While inorganic selenium compounds are active in these cases, there is evidence that these inorganic selenium compounds are converted biologically into organic compounds, including the selenium analogues of cysteine5, cystine, methionine6 and cystathionine7. The structure of the essential selenium compound or compounds, therefore, remains to be established.
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MUDD, S., CANTONI, G. Selenomethionine in Enzymatic Transmethylations. Nature 180, 1052 (1957). https://doi.org/10.1038/1801052a0
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/1801052a0
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