Structural Insights for the Stronger Ability of Shrimp Ferritin to Coordinate with Heavy Metal Ions as Compared to Human H-Chain Ferritin.

ABSTRACT: Although apoferritin has been widely utilized as a new class of natural protein nanovehicles for encapsulation and delivery of nutraceuticals, its ability to remove metal heavy ions has yet to be explored. In this study, for the first time, we demonstrated that the ferritin from kuruma prawns (Marsupenaeus japonicus), named MjF, has a pronouncedly larger ability to resist denaturation induced by Cd²⁺ and Hg²⁺ as compared to its analogue, human H-chain ferritin (HuHF), despite the fact that these two proteins share a high similarity in protein structure. Treatment of HuHF with Cd²⁺ or Hg²⁺ at a metal ion/protein shell ratio of 100/1 resulted in marked protein aggregation, while the MjF solution was kept constantly clear upon treatment with

SUBMITTER: Wang Y 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC8346123 | biostudies-literature | 2021 Jul

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature