Publication details
ELECTROCHEMISTRY OF METALLOTHIONEINS
| Authors | |
|---|---|
| Year of publication | 2011 |
| Type | Article in Proceedings |
| Conference | XI. Pracovní setkání fyzikálních chemiků a elektrochemiků |
| MU Faculty or unit | |
| Citation | |
| Field | Physical chemistry and theoretical chemistry |
| Keywords | metallothioneins;cysteine;biosensors;adsorptive transfer stripping technique |
| Description | Metallothioneins (MT) are a family of ubiquitous, biologically interesting proteins which have been isolated and studied in a wide variety of organisms, including prokaryotes, plants, invertebrates and vertebrates. Due to the property of MT being metal-inducible and, also, due to their high affinity to metal ions, homeostasis of heavy metal levels is probably their most important biological function. In addition, MT are involved in other important biochemical pathways including scavenging of reactive oxygen species, activation of transcription factors or participation in carcinogenesis. Detection and quantification of MT is not simple due to the high content of cysteine and relatively low molecular mass. These proteins can be detected very sensitively by electrochemical methods. Moreover, MT can be used as a part of biosensors. |