Metalloprotein

protein that contains a metal ion cofactor

A metalloprotein is a protein that contains a metal ion cofactor.[1] A large fraction of all proteins are members of this category, so the number is very large.

The structure of hemoglobin. The haeme cofactor, containing iron, shown in green.

It is estimated that about half of all proteins contain a metal.[2] In another estimate, about one-quarter to one-third of all proteins need metals to carry out their functions.[3] Thus, metalloproteins have many different functions in cells, such as enzymes, transport and storage proteins, and signal transduction proteins.

References change

  1. Shriver, D.F; Atkins P.W. (1999). "Chapter 19, Bioinorganic chemistry". Inorganic chemistry (3rd ed.). Oxford University Press. ISBN 0-19-850330-X.
  2. Thomson A.J. & Gray H.B. 1998. "Bio-inorganic chemistry". Current Opinion in Chemical Biology. 2, 155-158. doi:10.1016/S1367-5931(98)80056-2
  3. Waldron K.J. & Robinson N.J (2009). "How do bacterial cells ensure that metalloproteins get the correct metal?". Nat. Rev. Microbiol. 7 (1): 25–35. doi:10.1038/nrmicro2057. PMID 19079350. S2CID 7253420.