Vitamin B6 enzymes participating in selenium amino acid metabolism.

Various vitamin B6 enzymes play important roles in mammalian and microbial metabolism of selenium amino acids. Selenocysteine is synthesized from selenohomocysteine by catalysis of cystathionine beta-synthase and cystathionine gamma-lyase, which both require pyridoxal phosphate. Selenocysteine beta-lyase, a new B6-enzyme, exclusively catalyzes beta-elimination of selenocysteine, and occurs in mammalian systems and bacteria. Methionine gamma-lyase, cysteine desulfurase, cysteine sulfinate desulfinase, and D-selenocystine alpha,beta-lyase, which are B6-enzymes, act on cysteine, cysteine sulfinate, D-cystine, and their derivatives, and their selenium counterparts indiscriminately. Their reaction mechanisms are comparatively described.