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Molecular Aspects of Zinc Signals

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Zinc Signals in Cellular Functions and Disorders

Abstract

Zinc ions (Zn2+) have chemical properties that make them ideally suited to carry biological information in intracellular and intercellular communication. Such zinc signaling has much in common with calcium signaling in terms of fast binding in coordination environments of proteins, but there are also important differences between the two metal ions. Biological control with zinc occurs at much lower metal ion concentrations. Zinc ions bind with higher affinity and hence dissociation rates are slower, resulting in longer-lasting biological effects. Selectivity of coordination environments is different as zinc employs oxygen, nitrogen, and sulfur donors from ligands whereas calcium binds almost exclusively to oxygen donors. Zinc and calcium ions are redox inert but sulfur donors in zinc/thiolate coordination environments confer redox activity, thereby linking zinc metabolism and redox metabolism. In humans, 24 zinc transporters and more than 12 metallothioneins exert precise control over cellular zinc homeostasis, cellular redistribution, and transients of zinc ions that are used for biological regulation. Zinc ions are stored in subcellular compartments and released by different stimuli. Rises in cytosolic Zn2+ concentrations target proteins and affect a variety of cellular processes, such as phosphorylation signaling and gene expression. Zinc signaling complements and interacts with calcium signaling and redox signaling and is an integral part of the cellular signal transduction network. It has fundamental importance for health and disease.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. King’s College London, School of Medicine, Diabetes and Nutritional Sciences, Metal Metabolism Group, London, SE1 9NH, UK

    Wolfgang Maret

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  1. Wolfgang Maret
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Correspondence to Wolfgang Maret .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Laboratory for Homeostatic Network, RIKEN Center for Integrative Medical Sciences, Yokohama, Kanagawa, Japan

    Toshiyuki Fukada

  2. Division of Integrated Life Science, Graduate School of Biostudies, Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan

    Taiho Kambe

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Maret, W. (2014). Molecular Aspects of Zinc Signals. In: Fukada, T., Kambe, T. (eds) Zinc Signals in Cellular Functions and Disorders. Springer, Tokyo. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-4-431-55114-0_2

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