Multi-copper oxidases and human iron metabolism.

ABSTRACT: Multi-copper oxidases (MCOs) are a small group of enzymes that oxidize their substrate with the concomitant reduction of dioxygen to two water molecules. Generally, multi-copper oxidases are promiscuous with regards to their reducing substrates and are capable of performing various functions in different species. To date, three multi-copper oxidases have been detected in humans--ceruloplasmin, hephaestin and zyklopen. Each of these enzymes has a high specificity towards iron with the resulting ferroxidase activity being associated with ferroportin, the only known iron exporter protein in humans. Ferroportin exports iron as Fe(2+), but transferrin, the major iron transporter protein of blood, can bind only Fe(3+) effectively. Iron oxidation in enterocytes is mediated mainly by hephaestin th

SUBMITTER: Vashchenko G 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3738974 | biostudies-literature | 2013 Jun

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature