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Bou‐Abdallah F, Fish J, Terashi G, Zhang Y, Kihara D, Arosio P. Unveiling the stochastic nature of human heteropolymer ferritin self-assembly mechanism. Protein Sci 2024; 33:e5104. [PMID: 38995055 PMCID: PMC11241160 DOI: 10.1002/pro.5104] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/03/2024] [Revised: 06/18/2024] [Accepted: 06/23/2024] [Indexed: 07/13/2024]
Abstract
Despite ferritin's critical role in regulating cellular and systemic iron levels, our understanding of the structure and assembly mechanism of isoferritins, discovered over eight decades ago, remains limited. Unveiling how the composition and molecular architecture of hetero-oligomeric ferritins confer distinct functionality to isoferritins is essential to understanding how the structural intricacies of H and L subunits influence their interactions with cellular machinery. In this study, ferritin heteropolymers with specific H to L subunit ratios were synthesized using a uniquely engineered plasmid design, followed by high-resolution cryo-electron microscopy analysis and deep learning-based amino acid modeling. Our structural examination revealed unique architectural features during the self-assembly mechanism of heteropolymer ferritins and demonstrated a significant preference for H-L heterodimer formation over H-H or L-L homodimers. Unexpectedly, while dimers seem essential building blocks in the protein self-assembly process, the overall mechanism of ferritin self-assembly is observed to proceed randomly through diverse pathways. The physiological significance of these findings is discussed including how ferritin microheterogeneity could represent a tissue-specific adaptation process that imparts distinctive tissue-specific functions to isoferritins.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fadi Bou‐Abdallah
- Department of ChemistryState University of New YorkPotsdamNew YorkUSA
| | - Jeremie Fish
- Department of Electrical & Computer EngineeringCoulter School of Engineering, Clarkson UniversityPotsdamNew YorkUSA
| | - Genki Terashi
- Department of Biological Sciences and Department of Computer SciencePurdue UniversityWest LafayetteIndianaUSA
| | - Yuanyuan Zhang
- Department of Biological Sciences and Department of Computer SciencePurdue UniversityWest LafayetteIndianaUSA
| | - Daisuke Kihara
- Department of Biological Sciences and Department of Computer SciencePurdue UniversityWest LafayetteIndianaUSA
| | - Paolo Arosio
- Department of Molecular and Translational MedicineUniversity of BresciaBresciaItaly
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2
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Srivastava AK, Reutovich AA, Hunter NJ, Arosio P, Bou-Abdallah F. Ferritin microheterogeneity, subunit composition, functional, and physiological implications. Sci Rep 2023; 13:19862. [PMID: 37963965 PMCID: PMC10646083 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-46880-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/07/2023] [Accepted: 11/06/2023] [Indexed: 11/16/2023] Open
Abstract
Ferritin is a ubiquitous intracellular iron storage protein that plays a crucial role in iron homeostasis. Animal tissue ferritins consist of multiple isoforms (or isoferritins) with different proportions of H and L subunits that contribute to their structural and compositional heterogeneity, and thus physiological functions. Using size exclusion and anion exchange chromatography, capillary isoelectric focusing (cIEF), and SDS-capillary gel electrophoresis (SDS-CGE), we reveal for the first time a significant variation in ferritin subunit composition and isoelectric points, in both recombinant and native ferritins extracted from animal organs. Our results indicate that subunits composition is the main determinant of the mean pI of recombinant ferritin heteropolymers, and that ferritin microheterogeneity is a common property of both natural and recombinant proteins and appears to be an intrinsic feature of the cellular machinery during ferritin expression, regulation, post-translational modifications, and post-subunits assembly. The functional significance and physiological implications of ferritin heterogeneity in terms of iron metabolism, response to oxidative stress, tissue-specific functions, and pathological processes are discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ayush K Srivastava
- Department of Chemistry, State University of New York, Potsdam, NY, 13676, USA
| | | | - Nathan J Hunter
- Department of Chemistry, State University of New York, Potsdam, NY, 13676, USA
| | - Paolo Arosio
- Department of Molecular and Translational Medicine, University of Brescia, 25121, Brescia, Italy
| | - Fadi Bou-Abdallah
- Department of Chemistry, State University of New York, Potsdam, NY, 13676, USA.
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3
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Reutovich AA, Srivastava AK, Arosio P, Bou-Abdallah F. Ferritin nanocages as efficient nanocarriers and promising platforms for COVID-19 and other vaccines development. Biochim Biophys Acta Gen Subj 2023; 1867:130288. [PMID: 36470367 PMCID: PMC9721431 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbagen.2022.130288] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/23/2022] [Revised: 11/23/2022] [Accepted: 11/28/2022] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The development of safe and effective vaccines against SARS-CoV-2 and other viruses with high antigenic drift is of crucial importance to public health. Ferritin is a well characterized and ubiquitous iron storage protein that has emerged not only as a useful nanoreactor and nanocarrier, but more recently as an efficient platform for vaccine development. SCOPE OF REVIEW This review discusses ferritin structure-function properties, self-assembly, and novel bioengineering strategies such as interior cavity and exterior surface modifications for cargo encapsulation and delivery. It also discusses the use of ferritin as a scaffold for biomedical applications, especially for vaccine development against influenza, Epstein-Barr, HIV, hepatitis-C, Lyme disease, and respiratory viruses such as SARS-CoV-2. The use of ferritin for the synthesis of mosaic vaccines to deliver a cocktail of antigens that elicit broad immune protection against different viral variants is also explored. MAJOR CONCLUSIONS The remarkable stability, biocompatibility, surface functionalization, and self-assembly properties of ferritin nanoparticles make them very attractive platforms for a wide range of biomedical applications, including the development of vaccines. Strong immune responses have been observed in pre-clinical studies against a wide range of pathogens and have led to the exploration of ferritin nanoparticles-based vaccines in multiple phase I clinical trials. GENERAL SIGNIFICANCE The broad protective antibody response of ferritin nanoparticles-based vaccines demonstrates the usefulness of ferritin as a highly promising and effective approaches for vaccine development.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Ayush K Srivastava
- Department of Chemistry, State University of New York, Potsdam, NY 13676, USA
| | - Paolo Arosio
- Department of Molecular and Translational Medicine, University of Brescia, 25121 Brescia, Italy
| | - Fadi Bou-Abdallah
- Department of Chemistry, State University of New York, Potsdam, NY 13676, USA.
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4
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Srivastava AK, Scalcione LJ, Arosio P, Bou‐Abdallah F. Hyperthermostable recombinant human heteropolymer ferritin derived from a novel plasmid design. Protein Sci 2023; 32:e4543. [PMID: 36519270 PMCID: PMC9798250 DOI: 10.1002/pro.4543] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/05/2022] [Revised: 11/17/2022] [Accepted: 12/12/2022] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Abstract
Mammalian ferritins are predominantly heteropolymeric species consisting of 2 structurally similar, but functionally and genetically distinct subunit types, called H (Heavy) and L (Light). The two subunits co-assemble in different H and L ratios to form 24-mer shell-like protein nanocages where thousands of iron atoms can be mineralized inside a hollow cavity. Here, we use differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) to study ferritin stability and understand how various combinations of H and L subunits confer aspects of protein structure-function relationships. Using a recently engineered plasmid design that enables the synthesis of complex ferritin nanostructures with specific H to L subunit ratios, we show that homopolymer L and heteropolymer L-rich ferritins have a remarkable hyperthermostability (Tm = 115 ± 1°C) compared to their H-ferritin homologues (Tm = 93 ± 1°C). Our data reveal a significant linear correlation between protein thermal stability and the number of L subunits present on the ferritin shell. A strong and unexpected iron-induced protein thermal destabilization effect (ΔTm up to 20°C) is observed. To our knowledge, this is the first report of recombinant human homo- and hetero-polymer ferritins that exhibit surprisingly high dissociation temperatures, the highest among all known ferritin species, including many known hyperthermophilic proteins and enzymes. This extreme thermostability of our L and L-rich ferritins may have great potential for biotechnological applications.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Paolo Arosio
- Department of Molecular & Translational MedicineUniversity of BresciaBresciaItaly
| | - Fadi Bou‐Abdallah
- Department of ChemistryState University of New YorkPotsdamNew YorkUSA
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5
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Song X, Zheng Y, Liu Y, Meng H, Yu R, Zhang C. Production of Recombinant Human Hybrid Ferritin with Heavy Chain and Light Chain in Escherichia coli and its Characterization. Curr Pharm Biotechnol 2023; 24:341-349. [PMID: 35585819 DOI: 10.2174/1389201023666220517225048] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/28/2021] [Revised: 03/07/2022] [Accepted: 03/24/2022] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Natural human ferritin generally contains 24 subunits with different ratios of heavy chain to light chain, and the ratio of both subunits varies depending on tissue distribution and pathological conditions. However, the production of recombinant hybrid ferritin with both subunits is more challenging. OBJECTIVE This study aimed to prepare the recombinant hybrid ferritin for prokaryotic expression and characterize its structure and physicochemical properties. METHODS A prokaryotic expression vector of pACYCDuet-1 harboring the two individual genes of human ferritin heavy chain and light chain (FTH/FTL-pACYCDuet-1) was constructed and transfected into Escherichia coli bacteria. Then the genes were co-induced by IPTG to express. RESULTS The ferritin was purified by hydrophobic interaction chromatography combining size exclusion chromatography and verified by mass spectrometry and characterized by spectral and morphological analysis. CONCLUSION FTH and FTL subunits were successfully co-assembled into a hybrid ferritin nanoparticle (rhFTH/L). The structure of rhFTH/L was demonstrated highly ordered and fairly compact. Besides, the hybrid rhFTH/L nanoparticle was shown more sensitive to thermal stress and reduced stability when compared with that of both individual rhFTH and rhFTL.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaotong Song
- Department of Biopharmaceutics, Key Laboratory of Drug-Targeting and Drug Delivery System of the Education Ministry, Sichuan Engineering Laboratory for Plant-Sourced Drug and Sichuan Research Center for Drug Precision Industrial Technology, West China School of Pharmacy, Sichuan University, Chengdu, 610041, China
| | - Yongxiang Zheng
- Department of Biopharmaceutics, Key Laboratory of Drug-Targeting and Drug Delivery System of the Education Ministry, Sichuan Engineering Laboratory for Plant-Sourced Drug and Sichuan Research Center for Drug Precision Industrial Technology, West China School of Pharmacy, Sichuan University, Chengdu, 610041, China
| | - Yongdong Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Biochemical Engineering, Institute of Process Engineering, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100190, China
| | - Huan Meng
- Department of Biopharmaceutics, Key Laboratory of Drug-Targeting and Drug Delivery System of the Education Ministry, Sichuan Engineering Laboratory for Plant-Sourced Drug and Sichuan Research Center for Drug Precision Industrial Technology, West China School of Pharmacy, Sichuan University, Chengdu, 610041, China
| | - Rong Yu
- Department of Biopharmaceutics, Key Laboratory of Drug-Targeting and Drug Delivery System of the Education Ministry, Sichuan Engineering Laboratory for Plant-Sourced Drug and Sichuan Research Center for Drug Precision Industrial Technology, West China School of Pharmacy, Sichuan University, Chengdu, 610041, China
| | - Chun Zhang
- Department of Biopharmaceutics, Key Laboratory of Drug-Targeting and Drug Delivery System of the Education Ministry, Sichuan Engineering Laboratory for Plant-Sourced Drug and Sichuan Research Center for Drug Precision Industrial Technology, West China School of Pharmacy, Sichuan University, Chengdu, 610041, China
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6
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Reutovich AA, Srivastava AK, Smith GL, Foucher A, Yates DM, Stach EA, Papaefthymiou GC, Arosio P, Bou-Abdallah F. Effect of Phosphate and Ferritin Subunit Composition on the Kinetics, Structure, and Reactivity of the Iron Core in Human Homo- and Heteropolymer Ferritins. Biochemistry 2022; 61:2106-2117. [PMID: 36099002 PMCID: PMC9548343 DOI: 10.1021/acs.biochem.2c00354] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Ferritins are highly conserved supramolecular protein nanostructures that play a key role in iron homeostasis. Thousands of iron atoms can be stored inside their hollow cavity as a hydrated ferric oxyhydroxide mineral. Although phosphate associates with the ferritin iron nanoparticles, the effect of physiological concentrations on the kinetics, structure, and reactivity of ferritin iron cores has not yet been explored. Here, the iron loading and mobilization kinetics were studied in the presence of 1-10 mM phosphate using homopolymer and heteropolymer ferritins having different H to L subunit ratios. In the absence of ferritin, phosphate enhances the rate of ferrous ion oxidation and forms large and soluble polymeric Fe(III)-phosphate species. In the presence of phosphate, Fe(II) oxidation and core formation in ferritin is significantly accelerated with oxidation rates several-fold higher than with phosphate alone. High-angle annular dark-field scanning transmission electron microscopy measurements revealed a strong phosphate effect on both the size and morphology of the iron mineral in H-rich (but not L-rich) ferritins. While iron nanoparticles in L-rich ferritins have spherical shape in the absence and presence of phosphate, iron nanoparticles in H-rich ferritins change from irregular shapes in the absence of phosphate to spherical particles in the presence of phosphate with larger size distribution and smaller particle size. In the presence of phosphate, the kinetics of iron-reductive mobilization from ferritin releases twice as much iron than in its absence. Altogether, our results demonstrate an important role for phosphate, and the ferritin H and L subunit composition toward the kinetics of iron oxidation and removal from ferritin, as well as the structure and reactivity of the iron mineral, and may have an important implication on ferritin iron management in vivo.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aliaksandra A Reutovich
- Department of Chemistry, State University of New York, Potsdam, New York 13676, United States
| | - Ayush K Srivastava
- Department of Chemistry, State University of New York, Potsdam, New York 13676, United States
| | - Gideon L Smith
- Department of Chemistry, State University of New York, Potsdam, New York 13676, United States
| | - Alexandre Foucher
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19104, United States
| | - Douglas M Yates
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19104, United States
| | - Eric A Stach
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19104, United States
| | | | - Paolo Arosio
- Department of Molecular and Translational Medicine, University of Brescia, 25121 Brescia, Italy
| | - Fadi Bou-Abdallah
- Department of Chemistry, State University of New York, Potsdam, New York 13676, United States
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7
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Sudarev VV, Dolotova SM, Bukhalovich SM, Bazhenov SV, Ryzhykau YL, Uversky VN, Bondarev NA, Osipov SD, Mikhailov AE, Kuklina DD, Murugova TN, Manukhov IV, Rogachev AV, Gordeliy VI, Gushchin IY, Kuklin AI, Vlasov AV. Ferritin self-assembly, structure, function, and biotechnological applications. Int J Biol Macromol 2022; 224:319-343. [DOI: 10.1016/j.ijbiomac.2022.10.126] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/13/2022] [Revised: 09/28/2022] [Accepted: 10/13/2022] [Indexed: 11/05/2022]
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8
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Liu T, Li L, Cheng C, He B, Jiang T. Emerging prospects of protein/peptide-based nanoassemblies for drug delivery and vaccine development. NANO RESEARCH 2022; 15:7267-7285. [PMID: 35692441 PMCID: PMC9166156 DOI: 10.1007/s12274-022-4385-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/29/2022] [Revised: 03/31/2022] [Accepted: 04/01/2022] [Indexed: 05/09/2023]
Abstract
Proteins have been widely used in the biomedical field because of their well-defined architecture, accurate molecular weight, excellent biocompatibility and biodegradability, and easy-to-functionalization. Inspired by the wisdom of nature, increasing proteins/peptides that possess self-assembling capabilities have been explored and designed to generate nanoassemblies with unique structure and function, including spatially organized conformation, passive and active targeting, stimuli-responsiveness, and high stability. These characteristics make protein/peptide-based nanoassembly an ideal platform for drug delivery and vaccine development. In this review, we focus on recent advances in subsistent protein/peptide-based nanoassemblies, including protein nanocages, virus-like particles, self-assemblable natural proteins, and self-assemblable artificial peptides. The origin and characteristics of various protein/peptide-based assemblies and their applications in drug delivery and vaccine development are summarized. In the end, the prospects and challenges are discussed for the further development of protein/peptide-based nanoassemblies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Taiyu Liu
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Nanjing Tech University, Nanjing, 211816 China
| | - Lu Li
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Nanjing Tech University, Nanjing, 211816 China
| | - Cheng Cheng
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Nanjing Tech University, Nanjing, 211816 China
| | - Bingfang He
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Nanjing Tech University, Nanjing, 211816 China
| | - Tianyue Jiang
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Nanjing Tech University, Nanjing, 211816 China
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9
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Boumaiza M, Fhoula I, Carmona F, Poli M, Asperti M, Gianoncelli A, Bertuzzi M, Arosio P, Marzouki MN. Biochemical, Biophysical and Functional Characterization of an Insoluble Iron Containing Hepcidin–Ferritin Chimeric Monomer Assembled Together with Human Ferritin H/L Chains at Different Molar Ratios. Curr Issues Mol Biol 2021; 44:117-127. [PMID: 35723388 PMCID: PMC8929011 DOI: 10.3390/cimb44010009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/15/2021] [Revised: 12/21/2021] [Accepted: 12/23/2021] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Hepcidin and ferritin are key proteins of iron homeostasis in mammals. In this study, we characterize a chimera by fusing camel hepcidin to a human ferritin H-chain to verify if it retained the properties of the two proteins. The construct (HepcH) is expressed in E. coli in an insoluble and iron-containing form. To characterize it, the product was incubated with ascorbic acid and TCEP to reduce and solubilize the iron, which was quantified with ferrozine. HepcH bound approximately five times more iron than the wild type human ferritin, due to the presence of the hepcidin moiety. To obtain a soluble and stable product, the chimera was denatured and renatured together with different amounts of L-ferritin of the H-chain in order to produce 24-shell heteropolymers with different subunit proportions. They were analyzed by denaturing and non-denaturing PAGE and by mass spectroscopy. At the 1:5 ratio of HepcH to H- or L-ferritin, a stable and soluble molecule was obtained. Its biological activity was verified by its ability to both bind specifically cell lines that express ferroportin and to promote ferroportin degradation. This chimeric molecule showed the ability to bind both mouse J774 macrophage cells, as well as human HepG2 cells, via the hepcidin–ferroportin axis. We conclude that the chimera retains the properties of both hepcidin and ferritin and might be exploited for drug delivery.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mohamed Boumaiza
- Laboratoire d’Ingénierie des Protéines et des Molécules Bioactives, Institut Nationale des Sciences Appliquées et de Technologie BP 676, Tunis 1080, Tunisia;
- Correspondence: (M.B.); (P.A.)
| | - Imene Fhoula
- Laboratoire Microorganismes et Biomolécules Actives, Faculté des Science de Tunis, Université de Tunis El Manar, Tunis 2092, Tunisia;
| | - Fernando Carmona
- Molecular Biology Laboratory, Department of Molecular and Translational Medicine, University of Brescia, Viale Europa 11, 25123 Brescia, Italy; (F.C.); (M.P.); (M.A.)
| | - Maura Poli
- Molecular Biology Laboratory, Department of Molecular and Translational Medicine, University of Brescia, Viale Europa 11, 25123 Brescia, Italy; (F.C.); (M.P.); (M.A.)
| | - Michela Asperti
- Molecular Biology Laboratory, Department of Molecular and Translational Medicine, University of Brescia, Viale Europa 11, 25123 Brescia, Italy; (F.C.); (M.P.); (M.A.)
| | - Alessandra Gianoncelli
- Proteomics Platform, Department of Molecular and Translational Medicine, University of Brescia, Viale Europa 11, 25123 Brescia, Italy; (A.G.); (M.B.)
| | - Michela Bertuzzi
- Proteomics Platform, Department of Molecular and Translational Medicine, University of Brescia, Viale Europa 11, 25123 Brescia, Italy; (A.G.); (M.B.)
| | - Paolo Arosio
- Molecular Biology Laboratory, Department of Molecular and Translational Medicine, University of Brescia, Viale Europa 11, 25123 Brescia, Italy; (F.C.); (M.P.); (M.A.)
- Correspondence: (M.B.); (P.A.)
| | - Mohamed Nejib Marzouki
- Laboratoire d’Ingénierie des Protéines et des Molécules Bioactives, Institut Nationale des Sciences Appliquées et de Technologie BP 676, Tunis 1080, Tunisia;
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10
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A Novel Approach for the Synthesis of Human Heteropolymer Ferritins of Different H to L Subunit Ratios. J Mol Biol 2021; 433:167198. [PMID: 34391801 DOI: 10.1016/j.jmb.2021.167198] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/30/2021] [Revised: 08/02/2021] [Accepted: 08/04/2021] [Indexed: 01/18/2023]
Abstract
Mammalian ferritins are predominantly heteropolymeric species consisting of 24 structurally similar, but functionally different subunit types, named H and L, that co-assemble in different proportions. Despite their discovery more than 8 decades ago, recombinant human heteropolymer ferritins have never been synthesized, owing to the lack of a good expression system. Here, we describe for the first time a unique approach that uses a novel plasmid design that enables the synthesis of these complex ferritin nanostructures. Our study reveals an original system that can be easily tuned by altering the concentrations of two inducers, allowing the synthesis of a full spectrum of heteropolymer ferritins, from H-rich to L-rich ferritins and any combinations in-between (isoferritins). The H to L subunit composition of purified ferritin heteropolymers was analyzed by SDS-PAGE and capillary gel electrophoresis, and their iron handling properties characterized by light absorption spectroscopy. Our novel approach allows future investigations of the structural and functional differences of isoferritin populations, which remain largely obscure. This is particularly exciting since a change in the ferritin H- to L-subunit ratio could potentially lead to new iron core morphologies for various applications in bio-nanotechnologies.
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11
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Plays M, Müller S, Rodriguez R. Chemistry and biology of ferritin. Metallomics 2021; 13:6244244. [PMID: 33881539 PMCID: PMC8083198 DOI: 10.1093/mtomcs/mfab021] [Citation(s) in RCA: 83] [Impact Index Per Article: 27.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/06/2020] [Accepted: 04/09/2021] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Iron is an essential element required by cells and has been described as a key player in ferroptosis. Ferritin operates as a fundamental iron storage protein in cells forming multimeric assemblies with crystalline iron cores. We discuss the latest findings on ferritin structure and activity and its link to cell metabolism and ferroptosis. The chemistry of iron, including its oxidation states, is important for its biological functions, its reactivity, and the biology of ferritin. Ferritin can be localized in different cellular compartments and secreted by cells with a variety of functions depending on its spatial context. Here, we discuss how cellular ferritin localization is tightly linked to its function in a tissue-specific manner, and how impairment of iron homeostasis is implicated in diseases, including cancer and coronavirus disease 2019. Ferritin is a potential biomarker and we discuss latest research where it has been employed for imaging purposes and drug delivery.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marina Plays
- Chemical Biology of Cancer Laboratory, Institut Curie, 26 rue d'Ulm, 75005 Paris, France.,Centre national de la recherche scientifique UMR 3666, Paris, France.,Institut national de la santé et de la recherche médicale U1143, Paris, France.,PSL Université Paris, Paris, France
| | - Sebastian Müller
- Chemical Biology of Cancer Laboratory, Institut Curie, 26 rue d'Ulm, 75005 Paris, France.,Centre national de la recherche scientifique UMR 3666, Paris, France.,Institut national de la santé et de la recherche médicale U1143, Paris, France.,PSL Université Paris, Paris, France
| | - Raphaël Rodriguez
- Chemical Biology of Cancer Laboratory, Institut Curie, 26 rue d'Ulm, 75005 Paris, France.,Centre national de la recherche scientifique UMR 3666, Paris, France.,Institut national de la santé et de la recherche médicale U1143, Paris, France.,PSL Université Paris, Paris, France
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12
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Mohanty A, K M, Jena SS, Behera RK. Kinetics of Ferritin Self-Assembly by Laser Light Scattering: Impact of Subunit Concentration, pH, and Ionic Strength. Biomacromolecules 2021; 22:1389-1398. [PMID: 33720694 DOI: 10.1021/acs.biomac.0c01562] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/26/2023]
Abstract
Ferritins, the cellular iron repositories, are self-assembled, hollow spherical nanocage proteins composed of 24 subunits. The self-assembly process in ferritin generates the electrostatic gradient to rapidly sequester Fe(II) ions, thereby minimizing its toxicity (Fenton reaction). Although the factors that drive self-assembly and control its kinetics are little investigated, its inherent reversibility has been utilized for cellular imaging and targeted drug delivery. The current work tracks the kinetics of ferritin self-assembly by laser light scattering and investigates the factors that influence the process. The formation of partially structured subunit-monomers/dimers, at pH ≤ 1.5, serves as the starting material for the self-assembly, which upon increasing the pH exhibits biphasic behavior (a rapid assembly process coupled with subunit folding followed by a slower reassembly/reorganization process) and completes within 10 min. The ferritin self-assembly accelerated with subunit concentration and ionic strength (t1/2 decreases in both the cases) but slowed down with the pH of the medium from 5.5 to 7.5 (t1/2 increases). These findings would help to regulate the ferritin self-assembly to enhance the loading/unloading of drugs/nanomaterials for exploiting it as a nanocarrier and nanoreactor.
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Affiliation(s)
- Abhinav Mohanty
- Department of Chemistry, National Institute of Technology, Rourkela 769008 Odisha, India
| | - Mithra K
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, National Institute of Technology, Rourkela 769008 Odisha, India
| | - Sidhartha S Jena
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, National Institute of Technology, Rourkela 769008 Odisha, India
| | - Rabindra K Behera
- Department of Chemistry, National Institute of Technology, Rourkela 769008 Odisha, India
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13
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Stühn L, Auernhammer J, Dietz C. pH-depended protein shell dis- and reassembly of ferritin nanoparticles revealed by atomic force microscopy. Sci Rep 2019; 9:17755. [PMID: 31780685 PMCID: PMC6883049 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-019-53943-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/29/2019] [Accepted: 11/07/2019] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Ferritin, a protein that is present in the human body for a controlled iron storage and release, consists of a ferrihydrite core and a protein shell. Apoferritin, the empty shell of ferritin, can be modified to carry tailored properties exploitable for targeted and direct drug delivery. This protein shell has the ability to dis- and reassemble depending on the pH value of the liquid environment and can thus be filled with the desired substance. Here we observed the dis- and reassembly process of the protein shell of ferritin and apoferritin in situ and in real space using atomic force microscopy. Ferritin and apoferritin nanoparticles adsorbed on a mica substrate exhibited a change in their size by varying the pH value of the surrounding medium. Lowering the pH value of the solution led to a decrease in size of the nanoparticles whereas a successive increase of the pH value increased the particle size again. The pH dependent change in size could be related to the dis- and reassembling of the protein shell of ferritin and apoferritin. Supplementary imaging by bimodal magnetic force microscopy of ferritin molecules accomplished in air revealed a polygonal shape of the core and a three-fold symmetry of the protein shell providing valuable information about the substructure of the nanoparticles.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lukas Stühn
- Physics of Surfaces, Institute of Materials Science, Technische Universität Darmstadt, Alarich-Weiss-Str. 2, 64287, Darmstadt, Germany
| | - Julia Auernhammer
- Physics of Surfaces, Institute of Materials Science, Technische Universität Darmstadt, Alarich-Weiss-Str. 2, 64287, Darmstadt, Germany
| | - Christian Dietz
- Physics of Surfaces, Institute of Materials Science, Technische Universität Darmstadt, Alarich-Weiss-Str. 2, 64287, Darmstadt, Germany.
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Molecular cloning, expression and characterization of secreted ferritin in the silkworm, Bombyx mori. Biometals 2019; 32:757-769. [PMID: 31363876 DOI: 10.1007/s10534-019-00208-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/28/2019] [Accepted: 07/29/2019] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
Ferritin is a ubiquitous iron storage protein which plays key role in regulating iron homeostasis and metabolism. In this paper, the ferritin heavy chain homologs (HCH) and light chain homologs (LCH) from Bombyx mori (BmFerHCH and BmFerLCH) were amplified through PCR and cloned into the expression vector pET-30a(+). The recombinant BmFerHCH and BmFerLCH expressed in Escherichia coli were in the form of insoluble inclusion bodies, indicating that the two proteins were not in their natural structural conformation. In order to obtain refolded ferritin in vitro, the inclusion bodies (BmFerHCH and/or BmFerLCH) were dissolved in denaturing buffer (100 mM Tris, 50 mM Glycine, 8 M urea, 5 mM DTT, pH 8.0) and then refolded in refolding buffer (100 mM Tris, 400 mM L-arginine, 0.2 mM PMSF, 0.5 mM DTT). The result showed that it was only when both BmFerHCH and BmFerLCH were present together in the denaturing buffer that refolding was successful and resulted in the formation of heteropolymers (H-L chain dimers) over homopolymers (H-H chain or L-L chain dimers). Moreover, the molecules (NaCl, Triton and glycerol) were found to enhance protein refolding. The optimum temperature, pH and ratios of BmFerHCH/BmFerLCH required for refolding were found to be 10 °C, pH 7, 1:1 or 1:2, respectively. Finally, the refolded ferritin had the ability to store iron, exhibited ferroxidase activity, and could withstand high temperatures and pH treatment, which is consistent with ferritin in other species.
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15
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Sato D, Ikeguchi M. Mechanisms of ferritin assembly studied by time-resolved small-angle X-ray scattering. Biophys Rev 2019; 11:449-455. [PMID: 31069627 DOI: 10.1007/s12551-019-00538-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/18/2019] [Accepted: 04/26/2019] [Indexed: 10/26/2022] Open
Abstract
The assembly reaction of Escherichia coli ferritin A (EcFtnA) was studied using time-resolved small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS). EcFtnA forms a cage-like structure that consists of 24 identical subunits and dissociates into dimers at acidic pH. The dimer maintains native-like secondary and tertiary structures and can reassemble into a 24-mer when the pH is increased. The time-dependent changes in the SAXS profiles of ferritin during its assembly were roughly explained by a simple model in which only tetramers, hexamers, and dodecamers were considered intermediates. The rate of assembly increased with increasing ionic strength and decreased with increasing pH (from pH 6 to pH 8). These tendencies might originate from repulsion between assembly units (dimers) with the same net charge sign. To test this hypothesis, ferritin mutants with different net charges (net-charge mutants) were prepared. In buffers with low ionic strength, the rate of assembly increased with decreasing net charge. Thus, repulsion between the assembly unit net charges was an important factor influencing the assembly rate. Although the differences in the assembly rate among net-charge mutants were not significant in buffers with an ionic strength higher than 0.1, the assembly rates increased with increasing ionic strength, suggesting that local electrostatic interactions are also responsible for the ionic-strength dependence of the assembly rate and are, on average, repulsive.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daisuke Sato
- Department of Bioinformatics, Soka University, 1-236 Tangi-machi, Hachioji, Tokyo, 192-8577, Japan
| | - Masamichi Ikeguchi
- Department of Bioinformatics, Soka University, 1-236 Tangi-machi, Hachioji, Tokyo, 192-8577, Japan.
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16
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Carmona D, Treccani L, Michaelis M, Lid S, Debus C, Ciacchi LC, Rezwan K, Maas M. Mineralization of iron oxide by ferritin homopolymers immobilized on SiO2 nanoparticles. BIOINSPIRED BIOMIMETIC AND NANOBIOMATERIALS 2019. [DOI: 10.1680/jbibn.18.00038] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Daniel Carmona
- Advanced Ceramics, University of Bremen, Bremen, Germany
| | | | - Monika Michaelis
- Hybrid Materials Interfaces Group, University of Bremen, Bremen, Germany
| | - Steffen Lid
- Hybrid Materials Interfaces Group, University of Bremen, Bremen, Germany
| | - Christian Debus
- Physical Chemistry, University of Konstanz, Konstanz, Germany
| | | | - Kurosch Rezwan
- Advanced Ceramics, University of Bremen, Bremen, Germany
| | - Michael Maas
- Advanced Ceramics, University of Bremen, Bremen, Germany
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17
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Skinner OS, McAnally MO, Van Duyne RP, Schatz GC, Breuker K, Compton PD, Kelleher NL. Native Electron Capture Dissociation Maps to Iron-Binding Channels in Horse Spleen Ferritin. Anal Chem 2017; 89:10711-10716. [PMID: 28938074 PMCID: PMC5647560 DOI: 10.1021/acs.analchem.7b01581] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/01/2022]
Abstract
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Native electron capture
dissociation (NECD) is a process during
which proteins undergo fragmentation similar to that from radical
dissociation methods, but without the addition of exogenous electrons.
However, after three initial reports of NECD from the cytochrome c dimer complex, no further evidence of the effect has been
published. Here, we report NECD behavior from horse spleen ferritin,
a ∼490 kDa protein complex ∼20-fold larger than the
previously studied cytochrome c dimer. Application
of front-end infrared excitation (FIRE) in conjunction with low- and
high-m/z quadrupole isolation and
collisionally activated dissociation (CAD) provides new insights into
the NECD mechanism. Additionally, activation of the intact complex
in either the electrospray droplet or the gas phase produced c-type fragment ions. Similar to the previously reported
results on cytochrome c, these fragment ions form
near residues known to interact with iron atoms in solution. By mapping
the location of backbone cleavages associated with c-type ions onto
the crystal structure, we are able to characterize two distinct iron
binding channels that facilitate iron ion transport into the core
of the complex. The resulting pathways are in good agreement with
previously reported results for iron binding sites in mammalian ferritin.
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Affiliation(s)
- Owen S Skinner
- Department of Chemistry, Northwestern University , Evanston, Illinois 60208, United States
| | - Michael O McAnally
- Department of Chemistry, Northwestern University , Evanston, Illinois 60208, United States
| | - Richard P Van Duyne
- Department of Chemistry, Northwestern University , Evanston, Illinois 60208, United States
| | - George C Schatz
- Department of Chemistry, Northwestern University , Evanston, Illinois 60208, United States
| | - Kathrin Breuker
- Institute of Organic Chemistry, University of Innsbruck , A-6020 Innsbruck, Austria
| | - Philip D Compton
- Department of Chemistry, Northwestern University , Evanston, Illinois 60208, United States
| | - Neil L Kelleher
- Department of Chemistry, Northwestern University , Evanston, Illinois 60208, United States
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18
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Subhadarshanee B, Mohanty A, Jagdev MK, Vasudevan D, Behera RK. Surface charge dependent separation of modified and hybrid ferritin in native PAGE: Impact of lysine 104. BIOCHIMICA ET BIOPHYSICA ACTA-PROTEINS AND PROTEOMICS 2017; 1865:1267-1273. [DOI: 10.1016/j.bbapap.2017.07.012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/21/2017] [Revised: 07/05/2017] [Accepted: 07/20/2017] [Indexed: 01/06/2023]
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19
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Nanoscale iron particles formed from the metalloprotein-like structures prepared using ferrous ions in the presence of sodium glutamate and bovine serum albumin. MONATSHEFTE FUR CHEMIE 2017. [DOI: 10.1007/s00706-017-2030-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/22/2023]
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20
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Mehlenbacher M, Poli M, Arosio P, Santambrogio P, Levi S, Chasteen ND, Bou-Abdallah F. Iron Oxidation and Core Formation in Recombinant Heteropolymeric Human Ferritins. Biochemistry 2017. [PMID: 28636371 DOI: 10.1021/acs.biochem.7b00024] [Citation(s) in RCA: 48] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/12/2023]
Abstract
In animals, the iron storage and detoxification protein, ferritin, is composed of two functionally and genetically distinct subunit types, H (heavy) and L (light), which co-assemble in various ratios with tissue specific distributions to form shell-like protein structures of 24 subunits within which a mineralized iron core is stored. The H-subunit possesses a ferroxidase center (FC) that catalyzes Fe(II) oxidation, whereas the L-subunit does not. To assess the role of the L-subunit in iron oxidation and core formation, two human recombinant heteropolymeric ferritins, designated H-rich and L-rich with ratios of ∼20H:4L and ∼22L:2H, respectively, were employed and compared to the human homopolymeric H-subunit ferritin (HuHF). These heteropolymeric ferritins have a composition similar to the composition of those found in hearts and brains (i.e., H-rich) and in livers and spleens (i.e., L-rich). As for HuHF, iron oxidation in H-rich ferritin was found to proceed with a 2:1 Fe(II):O2 stoichiometry at an iron level of 2 Fe(II) atoms/H-subunit with the generation of H2O2. The H2O2 reacted with additional Fe(II) in a 2:1 Fe(II):H2O2 ratio, thus avoiding the production of hydroxyl radical. A μ-1,2-peroxo-diFe(III) intermediate was observed at the FC of H-rich ferritin as for HuHF. Importantly, the H-rich protein regenerated full ferroxidase activity more rapidly than HuHF did and additionally formed larger iron cores, indicating dual roles for the L-subunit in facilitating iron turnover at the FC and in mineralization of the core. The L-rich ferritin, while also facilitating iron oxidation at the FC, additionally promoted oxidation at the mineral surface once the iron binding capacity of the FC was exceeded.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matthew Mehlenbacher
- Department of Chemistry, State University of New York , Potsdam, New York 13676, United States
| | - Maura Poli
- Department of Molecular and Translational Medicine, University of Brescia , 25121 Brescia, Italy
| | - Paolo Arosio
- Department of Molecular and Translational Medicine, University of Brescia , 25121 Brescia, Italy
| | | | | | - N Dennis Chasteen
- Department of Chemistry, University of New Hampshire , Durham, New Hampshire 03824, United States
| | - Fadi Bou-Abdallah
- Department of Chemistry, State University of New York , Potsdam, New York 13676, United States
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21
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Philpott CC, Ryu MS, Frey A, Patel S. Cytosolic iron chaperones: Proteins delivering iron cofactors in the cytosol of mammalian cells. J Biol Chem 2017; 292:12764-12771. [PMID: 28615454 DOI: 10.1074/jbc.r117.791962] [Citation(s) in RCA: 88] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/27/2022] Open
Abstract
Eukaryotic cells contain hundreds of metalloproteins that are supported by intracellular systems coordinating the uptake and distribution of metal cofactors. Iron cofactors include heme, iron-sulfur clusters, and simple iron ions. Poly(rC)-binding proteins are multifunctional adaptors that serve as iron ion chaperones in the cytosolic/nuclear compartment, binding iron at import and delivering it to enzymes, for storage (ferritin) and export (ferroportin). Ferritin iron is mobilized by autophagy through the cargo receptor, nuclear co-activator 4. The monothiol glutaredoxin Glrx3 and BolA2 function as a [2Fe-2S] chaperone complex. These proteins form a core system of cytosolic iron cofactor chaperones in mammalian cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Caroline C Philpott
- Genetics and Metabolism Section, Liver Diseases Branch, NIDDK, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland 20892.
| | - Moon-Suhn Ryu
- Department of Food Science and Nutrition, University of Minnesota, St. Paul, Minnesota 55108
| | | | - Sarju Patel
- Genetics and Metabolism Section, Liver Diseases Branch, NIDDK, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland 20892
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22
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Arosio P, Elia L, Poli M. Ferritin, cellular iron storage and regulation. IUBMB Life 2017; 69:414-422. [DOI: 10.1002/iub.1621] [Citation(s) in RCA: 165] [Impact Index Per Article: 23.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/13/2017] [Accepted: 02/28/2017] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Paolo Arosio
- Laboratory of Molecular Biology, Department of Molecular and Translational MedicineUniversity of BresciaBrescia Italy
| | - Leonardo Elia
- Laboratory of Molecular Biology, Department of Molecular and Translational MedicineUniversity of BresciaBrescia Italy
- Humanitas Clinical and Research CenterRozzano MI Italy
| | - Maura Poli
- Laboratory of Molecular Biology, Department of Molecular and Translational MedicineUniversity of BresciaBrescia Italy
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