title: A ferritin from Dendrorhynchus zhejiangensis with heavy metals detoxification activity.
abstract: Ferritin, an iron homeostasis protein, has important functions in transition and storage of toxic metal ions. In this study, the full-length cDNA of ferritin was isolated from Dendrorhynchus zhejiangensis by cDNA library and RACE approaches. The higher similarity and conserved motifs for ferritin were also identified in worm counterparts, indicating that it belonged to a new member of ferritin family. The temporal expression of worm ferritin in haemocytes was analyzed by RT-PCR, and revealed the ferritin could be induced by Cd(2+), Pb(2+) and Fe(2+). The heavy metal binding activity of recombinant ferritin was further elucidated by atomic force microscopy (AFM). It was observed that the ferritin protein could form a chain of beads with different size against three metals exposure, and the largest one with 35~40 nm in height was identified in the Cd(2+) challenge group. Our results indicated that worm ferritin was a promising candidate for heavy metals detoxification.
authors.affiliation: School of Marine Sciences, Ningbo University, Ningbo, Zhejiang Province, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Chenghua
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Zhen
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Ye
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Jun
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Zhou
authors.forename: Chundan
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Xiurong
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Su
authors.forename: Taiwu
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Li
mesh_terms: D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D059001:Aquatic Organisms / Q000235:genetics*; D001483:Base Sequence; D003001:Cloning, Molecular; D018076:DNA, Complementary / Q000235:genetics; D004785:Environmental Pollutants / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000633:toxicity; D005293:Ferritins / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism*; D019216:Metals, Heavy / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000633:toxicity; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D014158:Transcription, Genetic / Q000187:drug effects
chemical_list: D018076:DNA, Complementary; D004785:Environmental Pollutants; D019216:Metals, Heavy; D005293:Ferritins