Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Systems biology of evolution: the involvement of metal ions

  • Published:
BioMetals Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

This article outlines a novel way of looking at the relevance of metal ions in organisms to the whole of life as part of an ecosystem bringing together the environment and cellular life. It does so by examining the evolution of the environment due to the “waste”, mainly oxygen, from cell metabolism which back reacts with the cells themselves. The oxygen generates a progressive change in the metal ions in the environment. The resultant change is buffered by ferrous iron and sulfide and is therefore slow so that there is a gradual adaptation of life to utilisation of elements in a time sequence. In order to appreciate this, systems (biological) evolution, it is necessary to describe the very nature of a thermodynamic flow system of which life is an example.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3
Fig. 4

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Beinert H, Holm RH, Munck E (1997) Iron-sulfur clusters. Nature’s modular, multipurpose structures. Science 277:653–659

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Birch NJ (1993) Magnesium and the cell. Academic Press, London

    Google Scholar 

  • Carafoli E, Klee C (eds) (1999) Calcium as a cellular regulator. Oxford Univ. Press, New York

    Google Scholar 

  • Fraústo da Silva JJR, Williams RJP (2001) The biological chemistry of the elements. Oxford University Press, Oxford

    Google Scholar 

  • Hill HAO, Sadler PJ, Thomson AJ (1998) Metal sites in proteins and models. Structure and bonding vols 88, 89 and 90

    Google Scholar 

  • Maret W (ed) (2001) Zinc biochemistry, physiology and homeostasis. Biometals 14:187–412

    Google Scholar 

  • Stryer L (1981) Biochemistry 2nd edn. Chap. 37 Freeman and Co, San Francisco

  • Williams RJP, Fraústo da Silva JJR (2002) The involvement of molybdenum in life? 292:293–299

  • Williams RJP (2003) The biological chemistry of the brain and its possible evolution. Inorg Chim Acta 356:27–40

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Williams RJP, Fraústo da Silva JJR (2006) The Chemisty of Evolution. Elsevier, Amsterdam

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Inorganic Chemistry Laboratory, University of Oxford, South Parks Road, Oxford, OX1 3QR, UK

    Robert J. P. Williams

Authors
  1. Robert J. P. Williams
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Robert J. P. Williams.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Williams, R.J.P. Systems biology of evolution: the involvement of metal ions. Biometals 20, 107–112 (2007). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10534-007-9087-6

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10534-007-9087-6

Keywords

Search

Navigation