glutathione peroxidase 4|This gene encodes a member of the glutathione peroxidase protein family. Glutathione peroxidase catalyzes the reduction of hydrogen peroxide, organic hydroperoxide, and lipid peroxides by reduced glutathione and functions in the protection of cells against oxidative damage. Human plasma glutathione peroxidase has been shown to be a selenium-containing enzyme and the UGA codon is translated into a selenocysteine. The encoded protein has been identified as a moonlighting protein based on its ability to serve dual functions as a peroxidase as well as a structural protein in mature spermatozoa. Through alternative splicing and transcription initiation, rat produces proteins that localize to the nucleus, mitochondrion, and cytoplasm. In humans, alternative transcription initiation and the cleavage sites of the mitochondrial and nuclear transit peptides need to be experimentally verified. Alternative splicing results in multiple transcript variants. [provided by RefSeq, Jan 2014] (NCBI Entrez Gene Database, 2879)
