This gene is a member of the glutathione peroxidase family and encodes a selenium-dependent glutathione peroxidase that is one of two isoenzymes responsible for the majority of the glutathione-dependent hydrogen peroxide-reducing activity in the epithelium of the gastrointestinal tract. The protein encoded by this locus contains a selenocysteine (Sec) residue encoded by the UGA codon, which normally signals translation termination. Alternatively spliced transcript variants have been described. [provided by RefSeq, Feb 2012]