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The dual personality of ionic copper in biology

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Abstract

Biological copper is mainly involved in electron transport to catalyse essential oxido-reduction processes. It is an essential trace element which is extremely toxic because exchangeable intracellular copper is Cu(I) which generates reactive oxygen species. To handle this paradox the evolution has led to a fine homeostasis in which copper ions are never free. Intracellular Cu(I) instead is bound to numerous proteins forming specific cascades towards its targets.

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Acknowledgments

I thank Florent Guillain for stimulating discussions that helped in preparation of this manuscript just before his uptake into a new life after 40 harmonious lab’s years and Elisabeth Mintz, a member of our team, for critical reading and useful comments.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. CEA, DSV, iRTSV, Laboratoire de Chimie et Biologie des Métaux, 17 rue des Martyrs, 38054, Grenoble Cedex 9, France

    Martine Cuillel

  2. CNRS, UMR 5249, Grenoble, 38054, France

    Martine Cuillel

  3. Université Joseph Fourier, Grenoble, 38000, France

    Martine Cuillel

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  1. Martine Cuillel
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Correspondence to Martine Cuillel.

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Dedicated to Prof Jack Harrowfield and Dr Jacques Vicens on the celebration of their 65th birthday.

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Cuillel, M. The dual personality of ionic copper in biology. J Incl Phenom Macrocycl Chem 65, 165–170 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10847-009-9636-4

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10847-009-9636-4

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