Bioinorganic Chemistry of Metals in Cell Function and Disease

Transition metals like Fe, Ni, Cu, Co, Mn, and Zn are essential inorganic metabolites for all forms of life. They are present as cations with different oxidation states such as Fe(II), Fe(III), Ni(II), Co(II), Cu(I), or Cu(II). Inside the cell these cations are either used directly or are part of inorganic and organometallic cofactors like iron-sulphur [FeS] clusters and hemes, respectively. These metals have various essential roles in catalysing many biological reactions, modulating protein structure and function, sensing reactive oxygen or nitrogen species, and transferring electrons. These biological roles enable almost all cellular functions and developmental processes including respiration, photosynthesis, nitrogen fixation, gene expression, transcription, translation and cellular defence against pathogens. Specific cellular machineries have evolved to tightly control the intracellular levels of these transition metals and use them for the synthesis of inorganic and organometallic cofactors. Consequently, a defect or imbalance in the homeostasis of any of these transition metal ions or their usage for biogenesis of cofactors could have detrimental impacts on a cell. In humans, for example, it can lead to various genetic disorders, inflammation, or neurodegeneration.

In this research topic we aim to discuss new and emerging discoveries covering different aspects of metal ions in cell function, development, and disease. We specifically would like to discuss the links between these metal ions and the cellular redox chemistry under different conditions; the role of these metal ions in various cellular processes like metabolism, DNA replication, transcription, and translation; and the links between metal homeostasis and redox chemistry in infectious diseases, metabolic disorders, cancer, and neurodegeneration. We hope this research topic stimulates future works that will help us to better understand the bioinorganic chemistry of metal ions under physiological and pathophysiological conditions.

We welcome submissions from all groups working at the interface of bioinorganic chemistry, cell biology, and cell development using different biological models like bacteria, archaea, and eukaryotes. Contributions describing novel methods and techniques and application of (metallo)proteomic, metallomic and metabolomic techniques, computational methods, and in vitro or in vivo biochemical studies are encouraged. We welcome contributions in the form of a full research articles, reviews, mini-reviews, hypotheses and perspective pieces.