Open AccessChemical Mechanism of Arsenic Biomethylation
Author(s) -
William R. Cullen
Publication year - 2014
Publication title -
chemical research in toxicology
Language(s) - Uncategorized
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.031
H-Index - 156
eISSN - 1520-5010
pISSN - 0893-228X
DOI - 10.1021/tx400441h
Subject(s) - arsenic , toxicant , chemistry , methylation , metalloid , carcinogen , inorganic arsenic , biotransformation , bioconversion , mechanism (biology) , environmental chemistry , enzyme , biochemistry , toxicity , organic chemistry , dna , philosophy , epistemology , fermentation , metal
The bioconversion of inorganic arsenic to methylated metabolites affects the tissue distribution and retention of arsenic and its actions as a toxicant or carcinogen. Although enzymes that catalyze the methylation of arsenicals have been identified in all branches of the tree of life, fundamental questions persist about the chemical processes that underlie reactions that methylate this metalloid. Here, several reaction schemes for arsenic methylation are considered to encourage careful consideration of the chemical plausibility of these schemes.