Structural highlights
Function
[FRIL_HORSE] Stores iron in a soluble, non-toxic, readily available form. Important for iron homeostasis. Iron is taken up in the ferrous form and deposited as ferric hydroxides after oxidation. Also plays a role in delivery of iron to cells. Mediates iron uptake in capsule cells of the developing kidney (By similarity).
Publication Abstract from PubMed
X-ray structures of homopolymeric human L-ferritin and horse spleen ferritin were solved by freezing protein crystals at different time intervals after exposure to a ferric salt and revealed the growth of an octa-nuclear iron cluster on the inner surface of the protein cage with a key role played by some glutamate residues. An atomic resolution view of how the cluster formation develops starting from a (mu 3 -oxo)tris[(mu 2 -glutamato-kappaO:kappaO')](glutamato-kappaO)(diaquo)triiron(III) seed is provided. The results support the idea that iron biomineralization in ferritin is a process initiating at the level of the protein surface, capable of contributing coordination bonds and electrostatic guidance.
Iron biomineral growth from the initial nucleation seed in L-ferritin.,Ciambellotti S, Pozzi C, Mangani S, Turano P Chemistry. 2020 Feb 6. doi: 10.1002/chem.202000064. PMID:32027764[1]
From MEDLINE®/PubMed®, a database of the U.S. National Library of Medicine.
References
- ↑ Ciambellotti S, Pozzi C, Mangani S, Turano P. Iron biomineral growth from the initial nucleation seed in L-ferritin. Chemistry. 2020 Feb 6. doi: 10.1002/chem.202000064. PMID:32027764 doi:http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/chem.202000064
