Electrostatic and Structural Bases of Fe2+ Translocation through Ferritin Channels.

ABSTRACT: Ferritin molecular cages are marvelous 24-mer supramolecular architectures that enable massive iron storage (>2000 iron atoms) within their inner cavity. This cavity is connected to the outer environment by two channels at C3 and C4 symmetry axes of the assembly. Ferritins can also be exploited as carriers for in vivo imaging and therapeutic applications, owing to their capability to effectively protect synthetic non-endogenous agents within the cage cavity and deliver them to targeted tissue cells without stimulating adverse immune responses. Recently, X-ray crystal structures of Fe²⁺-loaded ferritins provided important information on the pathways followed by iron ions toward the ferritin cavity and the catalytic centers within the protein. However, the specific mechanisms enab

SUBMITTER: Chandramouli B 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5207259 | biostudies-literature | 2016 Dec

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature