Metalloproteins


Metalloproteins

 

a class of compound proteins, complexes of proteins with metal ions.

As a rule, the bond between the protein and the metal (for example, iron, copper, zinc, magnesium, manganese, vanadium, molybdenum) is weak; nonetheless, removal of the metal (for example, with inorganic acids) destroys the structure and functional properties of the complex. Metalloproteins are widely distributed in nature and perform important biological functions, such as oxygen transport in invertebrates (hemerythrin, hemocyanin), iron storage and transport (ferritin, transferritin), and copper storage and transport (ceruloplasmin). The group includes numerous enzymes (for example, certain peptidases, tyrosinase, and aspartic acid oxidase).

REFERENCES

Haurowitz, F. Khimiia i funktsiia belkov. Moscow, 1965. (Translated from English.)
Severin, S. E., P. P. Filippov, and G. A. Kochetov. “Metalloenzimy.” Uspekhi sovremennoi biologii, 1970, vol. 69, issue 2.
Vallee, B. L., and W. E. C. Wacker. “Metalloproteins.” In The Proteins, vol. 5. Edited by H. Neurath. New York-London, 1970.