Themed collection Recent Review Articles

Gadolinium retention in tissues: description of our state of knowledge, and physical methods to investigate the biological distribution and chemical speciation of retained gadolinium.

Taking a systems analytical approach to systems biology questions requires a network of multidimensional analytical tools to illuminate the many different functional and structural aspects of metals in biology.

The toxicity of cadmium during pregnancy and lactation causes low zinc levels, metallothionein changes and materno-fetal and newborn alterations.

Arsenic (As), classified as a “metalloid” element, is well known for its carcinogenicity and other toxic effects to humans.

The design of novel metal-based compounds and the elucidation of the mechanisms of zinc substitution have renewed the possibilities of selective zinc-finger inhibition.

In this review, we highlight the importance of a Cu imbalance in the pathogenesis of several chronic inflammatory diseases.

Mechanism of action of CorE, a metal-dependent ECF σ factor.

Iron–sulfur cluster biogenesis and trafficking enables the function of a number of cellular proteins. As such, mutations or perturbations in these pathways lead to disease states.

Vertebrate red blood cells (RBCs) arise from erythroblasts in the human bone marrow through a process known as erythropoiesis.

Iron plays a crucial role in biochemistry and is an essential micronutrient for plants and humans alike. Recent progress in the field has led to a better understanding of iron homeostasis in plants, and aided the production of high iron crops for improved human nutrition.

There are numerous blood-based biomarkers for assessing iron stores, but all come with certain limitations.

Recent advances in the speciation and identification of tellurium metabolites in animals and plants by LC-ICP-MS and LC-ESI-MS are reviewed.

Molecular mechanisms in the body regulate the cytotoxic properties of titanium(IV) such that Ti(IV) could be bioavailable for cellular functions.

Fungal pathogens of humans acquire iron by high affinity reductive uptake, the use of siderophores, and by heme acquisition. These systems contribute to virulence to different extents in the pathogens.

Recent advances in the biosynthesis, regulation, and transport of methanobactin, a ribosomally produced, post-translationally modified copper-binding natural product.

Advances in understanding of hormones and metal micronutrients show critical interactions between the two in a newly-termed field of metalloendocrinology.

Examples from the literature and experience in our own laboratory on the characterization of the interactions between biological macromolecules and metal-based drugs are provided.

Mass spectrometry imaging is being increasingly used in metal-based anticancer drug development to study elemental and/or molecular drug distributions in different biological systems.

Ischaemia (interruption in the blood/oxygen supply) and subsequent damage induced by reperfusion (restoration of blood/oxygen supply) ultimately leads to cell death, tissue injury and permanent organ dysfunction.

Mechanisms of cisplatin antineoplastic action are beyond DNA binding. Alternative effects of cisplatin that can support a good therapeutic response are discussed in this review.

Recent achievements and advances in comparative genomic and metagenomic analyses of trace metals were reviewed and discussed.

Allosteric heme proteins can fulfill a very large number of different functions, thanks to the remarkable chemical versatility of the heme through the entire living kingdom. The involved heme properties include: changes of iron coordination and redox state, heme macrocycle electrostatic interactions and heme distortion.

Giant kelp (Macrocystis pyrifera, pictured here: in Port William, East Falkland, Feb. 2013) has a prolific halogen metabolism.

Transition metal transporters in rhizobia integrate the requirements of these micronutrients to the specific living styles.

Cd is the third major contaminant of greatest hazard to the environment after mercury and lead and is considered as the only metal that poses health risks to both humans and animals at plant tissue concentrations that are generally not phytotoxic.

The insertion of copper into bacterial cuproenzymes in vivo does not always require a copper-binding metallochaperone – why?

The coordination chemistry of transition metal ions (Fe, Cu, Zn) with the amyloid-β (Aβ) peptides has attracted a lot of attention in recent years due to its repercussions in Alzheimer's disease (AD).

Metallothioneins are diverse, but not represented yet in all phyla. Moreover, they play a central role as a [MT:T:TO] protein system.

A new arsenic metabolic scheme integrating simultaneous methylation and thiolation is proposed.

Zinc released during coagulation increases anticoagulant glycosaminoglycan-neutralisation by histidine-rich glycoprotein, high-molecular weight kininogen, and fibrinogen.

Iron–sulphur (Fe–S) clusters are versatile cofactors, which are essential for key metabolic processes in cells, such as respiration and photosynthesis, and which may have also played a crucial role in establishing life on Earth. This review focuses on the most ancient Fe–S cluster assembly system, the sulphur utilization factor (SUF) mechanism.

The ferrous iron transport (Feo) system is the predominant mode of bacterial Fe²⁺ import. Advancements in the structure and function of FeoB provide glimpses into the mechanism of Fe²⁺ uptake.

Progress in the research of the significance and trafficking of cellular labile iron in different subcellular compartments and the determination of cellular LIP by fluorescent methods have been reviewed.

Facultative trace element hyperaccumulation in animals is reviewed, examining mechanisms of uptake and accumulation, and biological roles.

Metal ions and complexes can interfere with the transcellular water flow but also with the cellular transport of glycerol and hydrogen peroxide, via inhibition of the ubiquitous aquaporin channels.

Nitration of human MnSOD at active site Tyr34 represents a biologically-relevant oxidative post-translational modification that causes enzyme inactivation.

Data on the location of alkaline and alkaline earth ions at RNA from crystallography, spectroscopy and computational modeling are reviewed.

Most biological nitrogen fixation (BNF) results from the activity of the molybdenum nitrogenase (Mo-nitrogenase, Nif), an oxygen-sensitive metalloenzyme complex found in all known diazotrophs.

A unifying model for the broad-spectrum antiviral activity of a metalloenzyme of the inborn immune system named RSAD2 (viperin) is proposed based on the radical-SAM catalytic activity of the enzyme.

Wilson disease (WD), a Mendelian disorder of copper metabolism caused by mutations in the ATP7B gene, manifests a large spectrum of phenotypic variability.

Zinc homeostasis is essential for normal cellular function, and defects in this process are associated with a number of diseases including type 2 diabetes (T2D), neurological disorders and cardiovascular disease.

Metal and metalloid ions regulate thioredoxin and glutaredoxin system-mediated biological functions by targeting mammalian thioredoxin reductase and mitochondrial glutaredoxin 2&5.

The maturation of human Fe–S proteins is a complex process involving protein–protein interaction networks distributed across different cellular compartments.

Nucleic acid enzymes require metal ions for activity, and many recently discovered enzymes can use multiple metals, either binding to the scissile phosphate or also playing an allosteric role.

Here, we critically review the literature on the capacity of organoselenium compounds to mimic selenoproteins (particularly GPx) and discuss some of the bottlenecks in the field.

Atopic individuals are often iron-deficient and tend to develop a Th2 dominant immune response, resulting in hyperresponsiveness to harmless antigens, termed allergens.

The ability of Streptococcus pyogenes to resist host-mediated zinc starvation or poisoning is critical for bacterial pathogenesis.

All known eukaryotes require copper for their development and survival.

Conformational changes in transferrin proteins predicted by molecular simulations.

Iron is an essential redox element that functions as a cofactor in many metabolic pathways.

Copper nitrite reductases (CuNiRs) catalyse the reduction of nitrite to nitric oxide as part of the denitrification pathway. In this review, we describe insights into CuNiR function from structural studies.

Metal ions are critical to a wide range of biological processes.

The transferrin receptor (TfR1), which mediates cellular iron uptake through clathrin-dependent endocytosis of iron-loaded transferrin, plays a key role in iron homeostasis.

Transient neonatal zinc deficiency (TNZD) results from loss of function mutations in the SLC30A2/ZnT2 gene. Nursing mothers harboring this defective zinc transporter produce zinc-deficient milk. Consequently, their exclusively breastfed infants develop severe zinc deficiency. The present review summarizes our current knowledge on SLC30A2/ZnT2 gene mutations and highlights the molecular mechanisms underlying this zinc deficiency. We further propose novel approaches for the early diagnosis and prevention of TNZD.

Copper is a trace element essential for almost all living organisms, however the level of intracellular copper needs to be tightly regulated. This review explores the existing literature on the role of glutathione in regulating cellular copper homeostasis.

A general principle in all cells in the body is that an essential metal – here copper – is taken up at the plasma membrane, directed through cellular compartments for use in specific enzymes and pathways, stored in specific scavenging molecules if in surplus, and finally expelled from the cells.

Thalassemia major (TM) is a hereditary blood disease that affects the production of hemoglobin, resulting in severe anemia.

Iron-containing enzymes such as heme enzymes play crucial roles in biological systems.

Analytical strategies to study the nickel proteome and their advantages and limitations.

Copper zinc superoxide dismutase (Sod1) is a critical enzyme in limiting reactive oxygen species in both the cytosol and the mitochondrial intermembrane space.

The structural and chemical similarities between manganese (Mn) and iron (Fe) allow the two metals to interact with each other in biological systems.

The biosyntheses of a family of enterobactin variants – amino acid substitution, insertion, and derivatization, and macrolactone expansion – is reviewed.

Iron efflux transporters play a critical role in protecting cells from iron intoxication.

Increasing evidence suggests that disruption of metal homeostasis contributes to the pathogenesis of various neurodegenerative diseases, including Alzheimer's disease, prion diseases, Lewy body diseases, and vascular dementia.

Two pairs of Fe(II) (orange) tightly bound to two putative Fe(II) bowls (forest green) may bridge neighboring protein residues (red) in each gating ring of Slo1 BK_Ca for channel closure. The binding of Ca(II) (green) to the gating ring or the binding of carbon monoxide to either binuclear Fe(II) bowl may disrupt the Fe(II) bridge for channel opening but retain Fe(II) in the bowl.

Possible analytical imaging approaches and their advantages and disadvantages for the study of metal (M) distribution in C. elegans.

Intestinal inflammation dysregulates iron metabolism and impairs erythropoiesis, leading to the development of anemia.

Selenium and selenoproteins may prevent atherosclerosis by blocking many key events in the development of atherosclerosis.