title: Low molecular weight copper-binding protein in the liver of rats given a single and repeated injections of copper.
abstract: Whether Cu-metallothionein is the sole low molecular weight Cu-binding protein induced in Cu-loaded rat tissues or not is hotly debated, because several investigators reported that Cu-metallothionein did not exist and other Cu-binding proteins were induced in the Cu-loaded rat liver. Investigation by using rats given a single and repeated injections of Cu led us to settle the problem. Cu-metallothionein was identified in the liver of both groups of rats by the purification procedure established in this study. Moreover in the final purification step of Cu-metallothionein, an additional unknown protein which did not belong to the metallothionein group was found only in the rats given repeated Cu injections, and not in the rats given a single Cu injection. The confusion on Cu-metallothionein and other Cu-binding proteins was shown to be caused by inadequate purification of Cu-metallothionein.
authors.affiliation: Department of Environmental Medicine and Informatics, Graduate School of Environmental Earth Science, Hokkaido University, Sapporo, Japan.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Suzuki-Kurasaki
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kurasaki
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Kojima
mesh_terms: D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000596:Amino Acids / Q000032:analysis; D000818:Animals; D002352:Carrier Proteins / Q000737:chemistry / Q000302:isolation & purification* / Q000378:metabolism; D003300:Copper / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology*; D004334:Drug Administration Schedule; D007274:Injections, Intraperitoneal; D008099:Liver / Q000737:chemistry*; D008297:Male; D008668:Metallothionein / Q000737:chemistry / Q000302:isolation & purification; D008970:Molecular Weight; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley
chemical_list: D000596:Amino Acids; D002352:Carrier Proteins; C007121:copper thionein; C023548:copper-binding protein; D003300:Copper; D008668:Metallothionein