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Neuronal growth‐inhibitory factor (metallothionein‐3): reactivity and structure of metal–thiolate clusters *
Author(s) -
Faller Peter
Publication year - 2010
Publication title -
the febs journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.981
H-Index - 204
eISSN - 1742-4658
pISSN - 1742-464X
DOI - 10.1111/j.1742-4658.2010.07717.x
Subject(s) - metallothionein , cysteine , chemistry , metal , reactivity (psychology) , metalloprotein , biochemistry , enzyme , gene , organic chemistry , medicine , alternative medicine , pathology
Metallothionein‐3, also called neuronal growth‐inhibitory factor, is one of the four members of the mammalian metallothionein family, which in turn belongs to the metallothionein, a class of ubiquitously occurring low‐molecular‐weight cysteine‐ and metal‐rich proteins containing metal–thiolate clusters. Mammalian metallothioneins contain two metal–thiolate clusters of the type M(II) 3 ‐Cys 9 and M(II) 4 ‐Cys 11 [or Cu(I) 4 ‐CysS 6‐9 ]. Although metallothionein‐3 shares these metal clusters with the well‐characterized metallothionein‐1 and metallothionein‐2, it shows distinct biological, structural and chemical properties. This short review focuses on the recent developments regarding the chemistry of the metal clusters in metallothionein‐3, in comparison to those in metallothionein‐1 and metallothionein‐2, and discusses the possible biological and functional implications.