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Metallomics: Integrated Biosciences for Elements

A special issue of International Journal of Molecular Sciences (ISSN 1422-0067). This special issue belongs to the section "Biochemistry".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (31 December 2019) | Viewed by 31066

Special Issue Editors

Laboratory of Toxicology and Environmental Health, Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Chiba University, Chuo, Chiba 260-8675, Japan
Interests: selenium; metallomics; speciation; ICP-MS; toxicology
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Geochemical Research Center, the University of Tokyo, Bunkyo, Tokyo 113-8654, Japan
Interests: isotope geochemistry; imaging; ICP-MS instrumentation; analytical chemistry; metallomics
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

This Special Issue “Metallomics: Integrated Biosciences for Elements” is the successive issue of the preceding “Metallomics: Recent Advances in Analytical and Biological Sciences of Semimetals/Metalloids.” This new Special Issue will cover the fundamental to applied biosciences for elements, including organometallic chemistry, analytical chemistry, biochemistry, molecular biology, environmental sciences, nutrition and toxicology.

Prof. Yasumitsu Ogra
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 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

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. International Journal of Molecular Sciences is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. There is an Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal. For details about the APC please see here. 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

  • biometals
  • speciation
  • imaging
  • isotopes
  • nanomaterials
  • mass spectrometry
  • laser ablation
  • nutrition
  • toxicology
  • environmental sciences

Related Special Issue

Published Papers (7 papers)

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Research

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21 pages, 2369 KiB  
Article
Dysregulated Choline, Methionine, and Aromatic Amino Acid Metabolism in Patients with Wilson Disease: Exploratory Metabolomic Profiling and Implications for Hepatic and Neurologic Phenotypes
by Tagreed A. Mazi, Gaurav V. Sarode, Anna Czlonkowska, Tomasz Litwin, Kyoungmi Kim, Noreene M. Shibata and Valentina Medici
Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2019, 20(23), 5937; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms20235937 - 26 Nov 2019
Cited by 19 | Viewed by 4789
Abstract
Wilson disease (WD) is a genetic copper overload condition characterized by hepatic and neuropsychiatric symptoms with a not well-understood pathogenesis. Dysregulated methionine cycle is reported in animal models of WD, though not verified in humans. Choline is essential for lipid and methionine metabolism. [...] Read more.
Wilson disease (WD) is a genetic copper overload condition characterized by hepatic and neuropsychiatric symptoms with a not well-understood pathogenesis. Dysregulated methionine cycle is reported in animal models of WD, though not verified in humans. Choline is essential for lipid and methionine metabolism. Defects in neurotransmitters as acetylcholine, and biogenic amines are reported in WD; however, less is known about their circulating precursors. We aimed to study choline, methionine, aromatic amino acids, and phospholipids in serum of WD subjects. Hydrophilic interaction chromatography-quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry was employed to profile serum of WD subjects categorized as hepatic, neurologic, and pre-clinical. Hepatic transcript levels of genes related to choline and methionine metabolism were verified in the Jackson Laboratory toxic milk mouse model of WD (tx-j). Compared to healthy subjects, choline, methionine, ornithine, proline, phenylalanine, tyrosine, and histidine were significantly elevated in WD, with marked alterations in phosphatidylcholines and reductions in sphingosine-1-phosphate, sphingomyelins, and acylcarnitines. In tx-j mice, choline, methionine, and phosphatidylcholine were similarly dysregulated. Elevated choline is a hallmark dysregulation in WD interconnected with alterations in methionine and phospholipid metabolism, which are relevant to hepatic steatosis. The elevated phenylalanine, tyrosine, and histidine carry implications for neurologic manifestations and are worth further investigation. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Metallomics: Integrated Biosciences for Elements)
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11 pages, 6371 KiB  
Article
Phosphorus Localization and Its Involvement in the Formation of Concentrated Uranium in the Renal Proximal Tubules of Rats Exposed to Uranyl Acetate
by Shino Homma-Takeda, Chiya Numako, Keisuke Kitahara, Takanori Yoshida, Masakazu Oikawa, Yasuko Terada, Toshiaki Kokubo and Yoshiya Shimada
Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2019, 20(19), 4677; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms20194677 - 20 Sep 2019
Cited by 14 | Viewed by 2231
Abstract
Although the kidneys comprise a critical target of uranium exposure, the dynamics of renal uranium distribution have remained obscure. Uranium is considered to function physiologically in the form of uranyl ions that have high affinity for phosphate groups. The present study applied microbeam-based [...] Read more.
Although the kidneys comprise a critical target of uranium exposure, the dynamics of renal uranium distribution have remained obscure. Uranium is considered to function physiologically in the form of uranyl ions that have high affinity for phosphate groups. The present study applied microbeam-based elemental analysis to precisely determine the distribution of phosphorus and uranium in the kidneys of male Wistar rats exposed to uranium. One day after a single subcutaneous injection of uranyl acetate (2 mg/kg), areas of concentrated phosphorus were scattered in the S3 segments of the proximal tubule of the kidneys, whereas the S3 segments in control rats and in rats given a lower dose of uranium (0.5 mg/kg) contained phosphorus without concentrated phosphorus. Areas with concentrated phosphorus contained uranium 4- to 14-fold more than the mean uranium concentration (126–472 vs. 33.1 ± 4.6 μg/g). The chemical form of uranium in the concentrated phosphorus examined by XAFS was uranium (VI), suggesting that the interaction of uranyl ions with the phosphate groups of biomolecules could be involved in the formation of uranium concentration in the proximal tubules of kidneys in rats exposed to uranium. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Metallomics: Integrated Biosciences for Elements)
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23 pages, 1823 KiB  
Article
Genomic Analysis of Shewanella sp. O23S—The Natural Host of the pSheB Plasmid Carrying Genes for Arsenic Resistance and Dissimilatory Reduction
by Witold Uhrynowski, Monika Radlinska and Lukasz Drewniak
Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2019, 20(5), 1018; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms20051018 - 26 Feb 2019
Cited by 17 | Viewed by 4188
Abstract
Shewanella sp. O23S is a dissimilatory arsenate reducing bacterial strain involved in arsenic transformations within the abandoned gold mine in Zloty Stok (SW Poland). Previous physiological studies revealed that O23S may not only release arsenic from minerals, but also facilitate its immobilization through [...] Read more.
Shewanella sp. O23S is a dissimilatory arsenate reducing bacterial strain involved in arsenic transformations within the abandoned gold mine in Zloty Stok (SW Poland). Previous physiological studies revealed that O23S may not only release arsenic from minerals, but also facilitate its immobilization through co-precipitation with reduced sulfur species. Given these uncommon, complementary characteristics and the application potential of the strain in arsenic-removal technologies, its genome (~5.3 Mbp), consisting of a single chromosome, two large plasmids (pSheA and pSheB) and three small plasmid-like phages (pSheC-E) was sequenced and annotated. Genes encoding putative proteins involved in heavy metal transformations, antibiotic resistance and other phenotypic traits were identified. An in-depth comparative analysis of arsenic respiration (arr) and resistance (ars) genes and their genetic context was also performed, revealing that pSheB carries the only copy of the arr genes, and a complete ars operon. The plasmid pSheB is therefore a unique natural vector of these genes, providing the host cells arsenic respiration and resistance abilities. The functionality of the identified genes was determined based on the results of the previous and additional physiological studies, including: the assessment of heavy metal and antibiotic resistance under various conditions, adhesion-biofilm formation assay and BiologTM metabolic preferences test. This combined genetic and physiological approach shed a new light on the capabilities of O23S and their molecular basis, and helped to confirm the biosafety of the strain in relation to its application in bioremediation technologies. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Metallomics: Integrated Biosciences for Elements)
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11 pages, 4311 KiB  
Article
Synthesis of Fe3C@C from Pyrolysis of Fe3O4-Lignin Clusters and Its Application for Quick and Sensitive Detection of PrPSc through a Sandwich SPR Detection Assay
by Chenglong Yuan, Zhichao Lou, Weikai Wang, Lintian Yang and Yanjun Li
Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2019, 20(3), 741; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms20030741 - 10 Feb 2019
Cited by 22 | Viewed by 3877
Abstract
The prion protein (PrPSc) has drawn widespread attention due to its pathological potential to cause prion diseases. Herein, we successfully synthesized Fe3C@C by carbonizing Fe3O4-lignin clusters, which were prepared through a facile hydrogen bonding interaction [...] Read more.
The prion protein (PrPSc) has drawn widespread attention due to its pathological potential to cause prion diseases. Herein, we successfully synthesized Fe3C@C by carbonizing Fe3O4-lignin clusters, which were prepared through a facile hydrogen bonding interaction between ≡Fe-OH and hydroxyl groups of lignin. Our in-depth investigation confirmed that the composites were Fe3C@C core/shell particles. We constructed a novel sandwich surface plasmon resonance (SPR) detection assay for sensitive PrPSc detection, utilizing bare gold surface and aptamer-modified Fe3C@C (Fe3C@C-aptamer). Due to the highly specific affinity of Fe3C@C-aptamer towards PrPSc, the sandwich type SPR sensor exhibited excellent analytical performance towards the discrimination and quantitation of PrPSc. A good linear relationship was obtained between the SPR responses and the logarithm of PrPSc concentrations over a range of 0.1–200 ng/mL. The detection sensitivity for PrPSc was improved by ~10 fold compared with the SPR direct detection format. The required detection time was only 20 min. The specificity of the present biosensor was also confirmed by PrPC and other reagents as controls. This proposed approach could also be used to isolate and detect other highly pathogenic biomolecules with similar structural characteristics by altering the corresponding aptamer in the Fe3C@C conjugates. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Metallomics: Integrated Biosciences for Elements)
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15 pages, 3163 KiB  
Article
Speciation of Selenium in Brown Rice Fertilized with Selenite and Effects of Selenium Fertilization on Rice Proteins
by Zhenying Hu, Yixin Cheng, Noriyuki Suzuki, Xiaoping Guo, Hua Xiong and Yasumitsu Ogra
Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2018, 19(11), 3494; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms19113494 - 06 Nov 2018
Cited by 28 | Viewed by 3679
Abstract
Foliar Selenium (Se) fertilizer has been widely used to accumulate Se in rice to a level that meets the adequate intake level. The Se content in brown rice (Oryza sativa L.) was increased in a dose-dependent manner by the foliar application of [...] Read more.
Foliar Selenium (Se) fertilizer has been widely used to accumulate Se in rice to a level that meets the adequate intake level. The Se content in brown rice (Oryza sativa L.) was increased in a dose-dependent manner by the foliar application of sodium selenite as a fertilizer at concentrations of 25, 50, 75, and 100 g Se/ha. Selenite was mainly transformed to organic Se, that is, selenomethionine in rice. Beyond the metabolic capacity of Se in rice, inorganic Se also appeared. In addition, four extractable protein fractions in brown rice were analyzed for Se concentration. The Se concentrations in the glutelin and albumin fractions saturated with increasing Se concentration in the fertilizer compared with those in the globulin and prolamin fractions. The structural analyses by fluorescence spectroscopy, Fourier transform infrared spectrometry, and differential scanning calorimetry suggest that the secondary structure and thermostability of glutelin were altered by the Se treatments. These alterations could be due to the replacements of cysteine and methionine to selenocysteine and selenomethionine, respectively. These findings indicate that foliar fertilization of Se was effective in not only transforming inorganic Se to low-molecular-weight selenometabolites such as selenoamino acids, but also incorporating Se into general rice proteins, such as albumin, globulin glutelin, and prolamin, as selenocysteine and selenomethionine in place of cysteine and methionine, respectively. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Metallomics: Integrated Biosciences for Elements)
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Review

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16 pages, 306 KiB  
Review
The Metallome of Lung Cancer and its Potential Use as Biomarker
by Belén Callejón-Leblic, Ana Arias-Borrego, Antonio Pereira-Vega, José Luis Gómez-Ariza and Tamara García-Barrera
Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2019, 20(3), 778; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms20030778 - 12 Feb 2019
Cited by 16 | Viewed by 3573
Abstract
Carcinogenesis is a very complex process in which metals have been found to be critically involved. In this sense, a disturbed redox status and metal dyshomeostasis take place during the onset and progression of cancer, and it is well-known that trace elements participate [...] Read more.
Carcinogenesis is a very complex process in which metals have been found to be critically involved. In this sense, a disturbed redox status and metal dyshomeostasis take place during the onset and progression of cancer, and it is well-known that trace elements participate in the activation or inhibition of enzymatic reactions and metalloproteins, in which they usually participate as cofactors. Until now, the role of metals in cancer have been studied as an effect, establishing that cancer onset and progression affects the disturbance of the natural chemical form of the essential elements in the metabolism. However, it has also been studied as a cause, giving insights related to the high exposure of metals giving a place to the carcinogenic process. On the other hand, the chemical species of the metal or metallobiomolecule is very important, since it finally affects the biological activity or the toxicological potential of the element and their mobility across different biological compartments. Moreover, the importance of metal homeostasis and metals interactions in biology has also been demonstrated, and the ratios between some elements were found to be different in cancer patients; however, the interplay of elements is rarely reported. This review focuses on the critical role of metals in lung cancer, which is one of the most insidious forms of cancer, with special attention to the analytical approaches and pitfalls to extract metals and their species from tissues and biofluids, determining the ratios of metals, obtaining classification profiles, and finally defining the metallome of lung cancer. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Metallomics: Integrated Biosciences for Elements)
18 pages, 629 KiB  
Review
Iron as a Central Player and Promising Target in Cancer Progression
by Michaela Jung, Christina Mertens, Elisa Tomat and Bernhard Brüne
Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2019, 20(2), 273; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms20020273 - 11 Jan 2019
Cited by 183 | Viewed by 8235
Abstract
Iron is an essential element for virtually all organisms. On the one hand, it facilitates cell proliferation and growth. On the other hand, iron may be detrimental due to its redox abilities, thereby contributing to free radical formation, which in turn may provoke [...] Read more.
Iron is an essential element for virtually all organisms. On the one hand, it facilitates cell proliferation and growth. On the other hand, iron may be detrimental due to its redox abilities, thereby contributing to free radical formation, which in turn may provoke oxidative stress and DNA damage. Iron also plays a crucial role in tumor progression and metastasis due to its major function in tumor cell survival and reprogramming of the tumor microenvironment. Therefore, pathways of iron acquisition, export, and storage are often perturbed in cancers, suggesting that targeting iron metabolic pathways might represent opportunities towards innovative approaches in cancer treatment. Recent evidence points to a crucial role of tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs) as a source of iron within the tumor microenvironment, implying that specifically targeting the TAM iron pool might add to the efficacy of tumor therapy. Here, we provide a brief summary of tumor cell iron metabolism and updated molecular mechanisms that regulate cellular and systemic iron homeostasis with regard to the development of cancer. Since iron adds to shaping major hallmarks of cancer, we emphasize innovative therapeutic strategies to address the iron pool of tumor cells or cells of the tumor microenvironment for the treatment of cancer. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Metallomics: Integrated Biosciences for Elements)
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