Characterizing metal-biomolecule interactions by mass spectrometry

Samuel E Janisse; Rebeca L Fernandez; Marie C Heffern

doi:10.1016/j.tibs.2023.06.006

Characterizing metal-biomolecule interactions by mass spectrometry

Trends Biochem Sci. 2023 Sep;48(9):815-825. doi: 10.1016/j.tibs.2023.06.006. Epub 2023 Jul 10.

Authors

Samuel E Janisse¹, Rebeca L Fernandez¹, Marie C Heffern²

Affiliations

¹ Department of Chemistry, University of California, Davis, One Shields Drive, Davis, CA 95616, USA.
² Department of Chemistry, University of California, Davis, One Shields Drive, Davis, CA 95616, USA. Electronic address: mcheffern@ucdavis.edu.

PMID: 37433704
DOI: 10.1016/j.tibs.2023.06.006

Abstract

Metal micronutrients are essential for life and exist in a delicate balance to maintain an organism's health. The labile nature of metal-biomolecule interactions clouds the understanding of metal binders and metal-mediated conformational changes that are influential to health and disease. Mass spectrometry (MS)-based methods and technologies have been developed to better understand metal micronutrient dynamics in the intra- and extracellular environment. In this review, we describe the challenges associated with studying labile metals in human biology and highlight MS-based methods for the discovery and study of metal-biomolecule interactions.

Keywords: disease diagnostics; metal binding; metallomics; metalloproteome; proteomics.

Publication types

Review

MeSH terms

Humans
Mass Spectrometry / methods
Metals* / chemistry

Substances

Metals