Note to users. If you're seeing this message, it means that your browser cannot find this page's style/presentation instructions -- or possibly that you are using a browser that does not support current Web standards. Find out more about why this message is appearing, and what you can do to make your experience of our site the best it can be.

Science 30 May 2008:
Vol. 320. no. 5880, pp. 1207 - 1210
DOI: 10.1126/science.1157643
Prev | Table of Contents | Next

Reports

A Cytosolic Iron Chaperone That Delivers Iron to Ferritin

Haifeng Shi,1 Krisztina Z. Bencze,2 Timothy L. Stemmler,2 Caroline C. Philpott1*

Ferritins are the main iron storage proteins found in animals, plants, and bacteria. The capacity to store iron in ferritin is essential for life in mammals, but the mechanism by which cytosolic iron is delivered to ferritin is unknown. Human ferritins expressed in yeast contain little iron. Human poly (rC)–binding protein 1 (PCBP1) increased the amount of iron loaded into ferritin when expressed in yeast. PCBP1 bound to ferritin in vivo and bound iron and facilitated iron loading into ferritin in vitro. Depletion of PCBP1 in human cells inhibited ferritin iron loading and increased cytosolic iron pools. Thus, PCBP1 can function as a cytosolic iron chaperone in the delivery of iron to ferritin.

1 Liver Diseases Branch, National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA.
2 Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, MI 48201, USA.

* To whom correspondence should be addressed. E-mail: carolinep{at}intra.niddk.nih.gov

Read the Full Text


THIS ARTICLE HAS BEEN CITED BY OTHER ARTICLES:
Ferricrocin, a Siderophore Involved in Intra- and Transcellular Iron Distribution in Aspergillus fumigatus.
A. Wallner, M. Blatzer, M. Schrettl, B. Sarg, H. Lindner, and H. Haas (2009)
Appl. Envir. Microbiol. 75, 4194-4196
   Abstract »    Full Text »    PDF »
New insights into ferritin synthesis and function highlight a link between iron homeostasis and oxidative stress in plants.
J.-F. Briat, K. Ravet, N. Arnaud, C. Duc, J. Boucherez, B. Touraine, F. Cellier, and F. Gaymard (2009)
Ann. Bot.
   Abstract »    Full Text »    PDF »
Iron Activates In Vivo DNA Binding of Schizosaccharomyces pombe Transcription Factor Fep1 through Its Amino-Terminal Region.
M. Jbel, A. Mercier, B. Pelletier, J. Beaudoin, and S. Labbe (2009)
Eukaryot. Cell 8, 649-664
   Abstract »    Full Text »    PDF »
Ferritin Contains Less Iron (59Fe) in Cells When the Protein Pores Are Unfolded by Mutation.
M. R. Hasan, T. Tosha, and E. C. Theil (2008)
J. Biol. Chem. 283, 31394-31400
   Abstract »    Full Text »    PDF »


To Advertise     Find Products

Science. ISSN 0036-8075 (print), 1095-9203 (online)