Metallothioneins sequester cadmium and surplus atoms of copper and zinc to prevent aberrant metal-catalyzed reactions. The identification of a 'cryptic' copper metallothionein in the bacterium that causes tuberculosis suggests that bacterial metallothioneins may be more widespread than previously suspected.
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Robinson, N. A bacterial copper metallothionein. Nat Chem Biol 4, 582–583 (2008). https://doi.org/10.1038/nchembio1008-582
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/nchembio1008-582
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