Transcriptional Regulation by Heavy Metals, Exemplified at the Metallothionein Genes

摘要: Seventeen of the thirty elements known to be essential for life are metals (Cotton and Wilkinson, 1980). They can function as structural or catalytic components bioorganic molecules even signal transducers. (Lippard, 1993). The so-called transition found in groups HIB IIB periodic system. Of these, zinc (Group IIB) is most widely used living systems. In 1869 it was discovered that an trace element higher organisms, 1940, first recognized a component enzyme, namely carbonic anhydrase (Raulin, 1869; Keilin Mann, 1940). To date, there more than 300 enzymes require proper functioning (Vallee Auld, 1990). Pathological deficiency, due greatly reduced intestinal uptake recessive, autosomal disorder Acrodermatitis enteropathica, leads death unless treated by high oral doses Falchuk, Among dependent several involved nucleic acid metabolism such prokaryotic eukaryotic RNA polymerases It has been only recently also integral constituent proteins regulate activity polymerases.