Metal ion transporters and homeostasis.
Transition metals are essential for many metabolic processes and their homeostasis is crucial for life. Aberrations in the cellular metal ion concentrations may lead to cell death and severe diseases. Metal ion transporters play a major role in maintaining the correct concentrations of the various metal ions in the different cellular compartments. Recent studies of yeast mutants revealed key elements in metal ion homeostasis, including novel transport systems. Several of the proteins discovered in yeast are highly conserved, and defects in some of the yeast mutants could be complemented by their human homologs. The studies of yeast metal ion transporters helped to unravel the molecular mechanism of macrophage defense against bacterial infection and hereditary diseases.
Nelson
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Department of Biochemistry, The George S.Wise Faculty of Life Sciences, Tel Aviv University, 69978 Tel Aviv, Israel. nelson@post.tau.ac.il
D000818:Animals; D002352:Carrier Proteins / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology*; D005057:Eukaryotic Cells; D006706:Homeostasis / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D007477:Ions; D008670:Metals / Q000378:metabolism*; D012441:Saccharomyces cerevisiae
D002352:Carrier Proteins; D007477:Ions; D008670:Metals