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Biology
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Metals in Biology (2nd Edition)
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Metals in Biology (2nd Edition)

A special issue of Biology (ISSN 2079-7737).

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 30 June 2026 | Viewed by 2106

Special Issue Editor

Dr. Muhamed Amin

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Laboratory of Computational Biology, National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute, National Institutes of Health (NIH), Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
Interests: molecular dynamics; Monte Carlo sampling; photosynthesis; XFEL; metalloenzymes; SARS-CoV-2
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

The function of metals in Biology is essential for the functionality of about one-third of the enzymes known so far. The role of the metal ions varies from allosteric effects to creating micro-engines that drive a wide range of chemical reactions inside the different biological processes, from hypoxia sensation to dimolecular oxygen formation.

Metal ions are essential cofactors for one-third of the known enzymes. They often involve electron transfer reactions, i.e., Photosystem I, II, Complex I, Dehydrogenase, Nitrorogenase, Superoxide Dismutase, etc. This Special Issue aims to collect the latest experimental and theoretical results from the experts studying biological systems involving metal cofactors. We aim to provide insight into the methods and mechanisms used to facilitate the chemical reactions of different metalloproteins.

Dr. Muhamed Amin
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 250 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for assessment.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Biology is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2700 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • metalloenzymes
  • iron sulfur cluster
  • mn cluster
  • photosystem I
  • photosystem II

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Related Special Issue

Published Papers (3 papers)

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Research

17 pages, 5764 KB  
Article
Synthesis of Iron Nanoparticles from Spartina alterniflora for Cadmium Immobilization in Coastal Wetland Sediments
by Jian Li, Xuejing Zang, Zhanrui Leng, Yan Li, Shiyan Xu and Na Wei
Biology 2025, 14(11), 1626; https://doi.org/10.3390/biology14111626 - 19 Nov 2025
Viewed by 209
Abstract
A green synthesis method for iron nanoparticles was developed using the leaf extract of the invasive plant Spartina alterniflora (Sa-FeNPs), targeting the remediation of cadmium (Cd) in coastal sediments. The obtained Sa-FeNPs, characterized as amorphous Fe-O-C composites, significantly reduced the amount of bioavailable [...] Read more.
A green synthesis method for iron nanoparticles was developed using the leaf extract of the invasive plant Spartina alterniflora (Sa-FeNPs), targeting the remediation of cadmium (Cd) in coastal sediments. The obtained Sa-FeNPs, characterized as amorphous Fe-O-C composites, significantly reduced the amount of bioavailable Cd. Specifically, Sa-FeNPs achieved a 34.63–38.39% decrease in the weak-acid-extractable fraction at a 7% application rate. The primary mechanisms underlying the adsorption and complexation of Cd are the large specific surface area of the Sa-FeNPs, their rich functional groups (-OH, -COOH, C=C, C-O), iron redox reactions, and total organic carbon (TOC) conversion. This study offers an environmentally friendly and low-cost remediation strategy for the utilization of excessive S. alterniflora biomass resources and controlling Cd pollution in coastal wetlands. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Metals in Biology (2nd Edition))
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17 pages, 4915 KB  
Article
Exogenous Hydrogen Sulfide Alleviates Low Temperature and Fluctuating-Light-Induced Photoinhibition of Photosystem I in Morus alba Through Enhanced Energy Dissipation and Antioxidant Defense
by Xiaowei Wei, Ju Zhang, Mingyue Sun and Nan Xu
Biology 2025, 14(11), 1582; https://doi.org/10.3390/biology14111582 - 12 Nov 2025
Viewed by 264
Abstract
Low temperature combined with fluctuating irradiance frequently co-occurs and suppresses photosynthesis, with irreversible injury to photosystem I (PSI) recognized as a key constraint on growth and yield. To test whether exogenous hydrogen sulfide (H2S) mitigates this “cold–fluctuating light” stress in mulberry, [...] Read more.
Low temperature combined with fluctuating irradiance frequently co-occurs and suppresses photosynthesis, with irreversible injury to photosystem I (PSI) recognized as a key constraint on growth and yield. To test whether exogenous hydrogen sulfide (H2S) mitigates this “cold–fluctuating light” stress in mulberry, we established six treatment combinations (room temperature controls, sodium hydrosulfide, and hypotaurine, each with or without low temperature plus fluctuating light). We quantified PSI/PSII photochemical properties, gas exchange, reactive oxygen species (ROS), and antioxidant enzyme activities. Under cold with fluctuating light, PSI was strongly inhibited: YNA increased, whereas YI and ΔI/Io decreased, and the P700 re-reduction half-time (t½) was prolonged (ANOVA, Tukey’s HSD, p < 0.05), indicating pronounced acceptor-side over-reduction and impaired electron transport. PSII performance also declined (lower Fv/Fm and PIABS, higher ΔVJ; p < 0.05). NaHS pretreatment significantly alleviated these effects relative to the stressed control: PSI/PSII metrics partly recovered, net photosynthetic rate (Pn) and water-use efficiency (WUE) increased, H2O2 and MDA decreased, and SOD/POD/CAT activities rose (p < 0.05). Notably, NPQhigh correlated negatively with YNA (Pearson r < 0, p < 0.001), consistent with the notion that enhanced energy dissipation relieves PSI acceptor-side limitation. We propose that exogenous H2S stabilizes electron transport and supports carbon assimilation via a dual strategy—faster engagement of energy dissipation and activation of antioxidant defenses—highlighting its potential utility for managing stress in fruit crops under erratic early-season weather. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Metals in Biology (2nd Edition))
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20 pages, 17856 KB  
Article
Bioaccumulation of Lanthanum by Two Strains of Marine Diatoms Nanofrustulum shiloi and Halamphora kolbei
by Daria Sergeevna Balycheva, Anastasiia Andreevna Blaginina, Vyacheslav Nikolaevich Lishaev, Sergey Victorovich Kapranov, Ekaterina Sergeevna Miroshnichenko, Svetlana Nikolaevna Zheleznova, Mikhail Vitalievich Simokon and Vitaliy Ivanovich Ryabushko
Biology 2025, 14(11), 1489; https://doi.org/10.3390/biology14111489 - 24 Oct 2025
Viewed by 450
Abstract
Bioaccumulation by diatoms, as the first stage of biomineralisation, has been widely studied for various metals, such as cadmium, copper, zinc, aluminium, gold, silver, etc. However, despite the fact that the mining and utilization of rare earth elements (REEs) are currently increasing, there [...] Read more.
Bioaccumulation by diatoms, as the first stage of biomineralisation, has been widely studied for various metals, such as cadmium, copper, zinc, aluminium, gold, silver, etc. However, despite the fact that the mining and utilization of rare earth elements (REEs) are currently increasing, there is almost no data on their bioaccumulation by diatoms. Therefore, the aim of this study was to determine the ability of diatoms to bioaccumulate REEs by the example of lanthanum (La), and to compare this ability for two marine diatoms Nanofrustulum shiloi and Halamphora kolbei. As a result of experiments on the cultivation of diatoms in nutrient media supplemented with La at concentrations of 10 mg·L−1 and 50 mg·L−1, energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy revealed the ability of diatoms to bioadsorb La on their frustule surface, as a first stage of its bioaccumulation. The high concentration of La (50 mg·L−1) has a noticeable visual effect on the morphofunctional state of diatoms and causes a decrease in the rate of accumulation. The low concentration (10 mg·L−1) promotes the hyperaccumulation of La by the diatom biomass as a whole, including both bioadsorption and bioabsorption within the cells. This resulted in an increase in La concentration in the biomass by nearly 2000-fold in H. kolbei (6.06 mg·g−1) and by 1000-fold in N. shiloi (6.90 mg·g−1). The results on La bioaccumulation by diatoms are significant for advancing methods to remediate aquatic environments contaminated with rare earth elements and for the bioindication purposes. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Metals in Biology (2nd Edition))
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