Biomaterial Database

Copper replacement of cadmium-binding alpha-fragment of metallothionein expressed in Escherichia coli. 1996

M Kurasaki, and F Yamasaki, and M Suzuki-Kurasaki, and Y Kojima

Department of Environmental Medicine and Informatics, Graduate School of Environmental Earth Science, Hokkaido University, Sapporo, Japan.

Titration studies of Cd-binding alpha-fragment, the carboxyl-terminal half of human metallothionein-2, which was independently expressed in Escherichia coli as a Cd-binding form, with Cu were performed. The Cu saturated alpha-fragment was not obtained when the alpha-fragment incubated with Cu (I), although completely saturated MT with Cu (I) was successfully obtained in the same conditions. The stoichiometry of the alpha-fragment replaced with Cu (I) was Cu 4 and Cd 1. It is considered that the Cu-binding alpha-fragment required the presence of Cd (II) to form a stable structure. Our results could suggest that each fragment was independent in the metal binding processes, e.g. alpha-fragment for Cd-binding.

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D008668	Metallothionein	A low-molecular-weight (approx. 10 kD) protein occurring in the cytoplasm of kidney cortex and liver. It is rich in cysteinyl residues and contains no aromatic amino acids. Metallothionein shows high affinity for bivalent heavy metals.	Isometallothionein,Metallothionein A,Metallothionein B,Metallothionein I,Metallothionein II,Metallothionein IIA
D010446	Peptide Fragments	Partial proteins formed by partial hydrolysis of complete proteins or generated through PROTEIN ENGINEERING techniques.	Peptide Fragment,Fragment, Peptide,Fragments, Peptide
D002352	Carrier Proteins	Proteins that bind or transport specific substances in the blood, within the cell, or across cell membranes.	Binding Proteins,Carrier Protein,Transport Protein,Transport Proteins,Binding Protein,Protein, Carrier,Proteins, Carrier
D003300	Copper	A heavy metal trace element with the atomic symbol Cu, atomic number 29, and atomic weight 63.55.	Copper-63,Copper 63
D004926	Escherichia coli	A species of gram-negative, facultatively anaerobic, rod-shaped bacteria (GRAM-NEGATIVE FACULTATIVELY ANAEROBIC RODS) commonly found in the lower part of the intestine of warm-blooded animals. It is usually nonpathogenic, but some strains are known to produce DIARRHEA and pyogenic infections. Pathogenic strains (virotypes) are classified by their specific pathogenic mechanisms such as toxins (ENTEROTOXIGENIC ESCHERICHIA COLI), etc.	Alkalescens-Dispar Group,Bacillus coli,Bacterium coli,Bacterium coli commune,Diffusely Adherent Escherichia coli,E coli,EAggEC,Enteroaggregative Escherichia coli,Enterococcus coli,Diffusely Adherent E. coli,Enteroaggregative E. coli,Enteroinvasive E. coli,Enteroinvasive Escherichia coli
D006801	Humans	Members of the species Homo sapiens.	Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man
D001665	Binding Sites	The parts of a macromolecule that directly participate in its specific combination with another molecule.	Combining Site,Binding Site,Combining Sites,Site, Binding,Site, Combining,Sites, Binding,Sites, Combining