Biomaterial Database

Energy transfer between terbium and iron bound to transferrin: reinvestigation of the distance between metal-binding sites. 1977

C F Meares, and J E Ledbetter

The addition of trivalent iron, gallium, and terbium ions to the metal binding sites of human transferrin has been investigated by fluorescence and spectrophotometric measurements. Results are consistent with the possibility that the addition of ferric nitrilotriacetate to apotransferrin does not lead to a random distribution of iron bound to the two metal-binding sites on the protein, but rather an asymmetric distribution with iron bound mainly to one of the sites. The subsequent addition of terbium leads to the binding of terbium ions to the vacant sites on monoferric transferrin molecules, and observations of the intensity of terbium fluorescence from such samples provides clear evidence of transfer of excitation energy from the terbium site to the iron site. These results lead to the estimate that the two metal-binding sites of human transferrin are separated by a distance of 25 +/- 2 A, in disagreement with an earlier report (Luk, C. K. (1971), Biochemistry 10, 2838) that the sites were separated by more than 43 A. Consideration of the dimensions of transferrin indicates that the two sites lie relatively close to each other on the macromolecule.

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D007501	Iron	A metallic element with atomic symbol Fe, atomic number 26, and atomic weight 55.85. It is an essential constituent of HEMOGLOBINS; CYTOCHROMES; and IRON-BINDING PROTEINS. It plays a role in cellular redox reactions and in the transport of OXYGEN.	Iron-56,Iron 56
D007700	Kinetics	The rate dynamics in chemical or physical systems.
D011485	Protein Binding	The process in which substances, either endogenous or exogenous, bind to proteins, peptides, enzymes, protein precursors, or allied compounds. Specific protein-binding measures are often used as assays in diagnostic assessments.	Plasma Protein Binding Capacity,Binding, Protein
D004735	Energy Transfer	The transfer of energy of a given form among different scales of motion. (From McGraw-Hill Dictionary of Scientific and Technical Terms, 6th ed). It includes the transfer of kinetic energy and the transfer of chemical energy. The transfer of chemical energy from one molecule to another depends on proximity of molecules so it is often used as in techniques to measure distance such as the use of FORSTER RESONANCE ENERGY TRANSFER.	Transfer, Energy
D001059	Apoproteins	The protein components of a number of complexes, such as enzymes (APOENZYMES), ferritin (APOFERRITINS), or lipoproteins (APOLIPOPROTEINS).	Apoprotein
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
D013725	Terbium	An element of the rare earth family of metals. It has the atomic symbol Tb, atomic number 65, and atomic weight 158.92.
D014168	Transferrin	An iron-binding beta1-globulin that is synthesized in the LIVER and secreted into the blood. It plays a central role in the transport of IRON throughout the circulation. A variety of transferrin isoforms exist in humans, including some that are considered markers for specific disease states.	Siderophilin,Isotransferrin,Monoferric Transferrins,Serotransferrin,Transferrin B,Transferrin C,beta 2-Transferrin,beta-1 Metal-Binding Globulin,tau-Transferrin,Globulin, beta-1 Metal-Binding,Metal-Binding Globulin, beta-1,Transferrins, Monoferric,beta 1 Metal Binding Globulin,beta 2 Transferrin,tau Transferrin