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Effect of the charge distribution along the “ferritin-like” pores of the proteins from the Dps family on the iron incorporation process

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Abstract

DNA-binding proteins from starved cells (Dps) differ in the number and position of charged residues along the “ferritin-like” pores that are used by iron to reach the ferroxidase center and the protein cavity. These differences are shown to affect significantly the electrostatic potential at the pores, which determines the extent of cooperativity in the iron uptake kinetics and thereby the mass distribution of the ferric hydroxide micelles inside the protein cavity. These conclusions are of biotechnological value in the preparation of protein-enclosed nanomaterials and are expected to apply also to ferritins. They were reached after characterization of the Dps from Listeria innocua, Helicobacter pylori, Thermosynechococcus elongatus, Escherichia coli, and Mycobacterium smegmatis. The characterization comprised the calculation of the electrostatic potential at the pores, determination of the iron uptake kinetics in the presence of molecular oxygen or hydrogen peroxide, and analysis of the proteins by means of the sedimentation velocity after iron incorporation.

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Acknowledgments

E.C. acknowledges the support of local grants from the Ministero dell’Università e Ricerca Scientifica (MIUR). F.O thanks Filas for a fellowship granted under the project “Caratterizzazione di principi attivi.”

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Biochemical Sciences, CNR Institute of Molecular Biology and Pathology, “Sapienza” University of Rome, Piazzale Aldo Moro, 5, 00185, Rome, Italy

    Pierpaolo Ceci, Gisa Di Cecca, Carlotta Zamparelli & Emilia Chiancone

  2. Department of Biology, University of Rome “Tor Vergata”, Via della Ricerca Scientifica, 00133, Rome, Italy

    Mattia Falconi & Francesco Oteri

  3. CIBB, Center of Biostatistics and Bioinformatics, Via della Ricerca Scientifica, 00133, Rome, Italy

    Mattia Falconi & Francesco Oteri

  4. Interuniversity Consortium of Structural and Systems Biology (INBB), Rome, Italy

    Mattia Falconi & Francesco Oteri

Authors
  1. Pierpaolo Ceci
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  2. Gisa Di Cecca
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  3. Mattia Falconi
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  4. Francesco Oteri
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  5. Carlotta Zamparelli
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  6. Emilia Chiancone
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Emilia Chiancone.

Additional information

P. Ceci and G. Di Cecca contributed equally to the work.

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Ceci, P., Di Cecca, G., Falconi, M. et al. Effect of the charge distribution along the “ferritin-like” pores of the proteins from the Dps family on the iron incorporation process. J Biol Inorg Chem 16, 869–880 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00775-011-0784-9

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00775-011-0784-9

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