title: Chemical interactions of mercury species and some transition and noble metals towards metallothionein (Zn7MT-2) evaluated using SEC/ICP-MS, RP-HPLC/ESI-MS and MALDI-TOF-MS.
abstract: The chemical affinities of three submetallomes ("Mn, Co, Ni, Cu, Cd"; "Pd, Pt, Au"; and "Hg, CH3Hg, C2H5Hg-THI") towards metallothionein-2 (Zn7MT-2) in a physiological solution environment were evaluated using SEC/ICP-MS together with RP-HPLC/ESI-IT-MS and MALDI-TOF-MS, and followed the order: "Zn(2+) < Cu(2+), Cd(2+) > Ni(2+) > Mn(2+), Co(2+)"; "Pd(2+) > Au(3+) > Pt(2+)"; and "Hg(2+) > CH3Hg(+) > C2H5Hg-THI". Besides these, the structural change and composition of the CH3Hg-MT-2 complexes formed during the CH3Hg(+) titration process were further investigated using CD spectroscopy, RP-HPLC/ESI-MS and MALDI-TOF-MS, indicating that linear and more hydrophobic (CH3Hg)xMT-2 (x = 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19 and 20) were formed. This information is important in understanding the interactions of the metals with Zn7MT-2 and their corresponding biological functions and toxicities.
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry & the Key Laboratory of Analytical Sciences, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Xiamen University, Xiamen, China.
authors.forename: Ming
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Xu
authors.forename: Limin
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.forename: Qiuquan
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Wang
mesh_terms: D002853:Chromatography, Liquid / Q000379:methods*; D013058:Mass Spectrometry / Q000379:methods*; D008628:Mercury / Q000737:chemistry*; D008668:Metallothionein / Q000737:chemistry*; D005741:Noble Gases / Q000737:chemistry*; D028561:Transition Elements / Q000737:chemistry*
chemical_list: D005741:Noble Gases; D028561:Transition Elements; C021267:zinc thionein; D008668:Metallothionein; D008628:Mercury