About this Research Topic
During the two decades that lapsed since “ironome” was coined for the ensemble of proteins associated with iron metabolism, a surge of iron-driven biological processes have been recognized as essential to cells. The ironome encompasses a wide range of proteins, including those involved in iron uptake, transport, storage, and regulation of iron homeostasis. Studying the ironome and its associated proteins becomes particularly relevant for understanding iron metabolism, diseases related to iron dysregulation (such as iron deficiency anemia and hemochromatosis) and developing therapeutic strategies targeting iron metabolism disorders. Due to the central role of iron in numerous biological processes, studying the ironome will also impact advancing biotechnology and industry and addressing global health and environmental challenges.
Ironomics, an interdisciplinary approach to comprehensively study iron in biological systems, and the ironome are now accepted concepts. However, the intricacies of the structural design(s), mechanisms and dynamics of the proteins governing the cellular processes in these biological systems remain elusive. Development of advanced techniques and tools for characterizing iron-containing proteins and the ironome is critical to gain deeper insights into the role of iron in health and disease. One major goal for this proposed Research Topic is to globally evaluate the current level of knowledge of the iron-binding environments in ironome proteins with different functions, so that new questions and innovative experimental approaches and technologies can be pursued and implemented. Special emphasis will be on the definition of the iron ligands in the metal-binding sites of different proteins in relation to their functional mechanism and dynamics. While the nature of the proposed articles might vary – with some focusing on the ironome and others on specific iron-binding proteins – the common goal of elucidating the elaborate network of proteins involved in maintaining iron homeostasis and its implications in various biological processes and diseases would remain constant.
Proposed specific themes for the Research Topic include but are not limited to:
• Iron-sulfur cluster proteins, including characterization of iron-binding, structure and function and iron-sulfur cluster assembly
• Ferroptosis, including iron and reactive-oxygen species (ROS) and cancer
• Iron transport and trafficking – e.g., ferroportin, transferrin, transferrin receptor
• Iron homeostasis, mitochondrial iron metabolism, and cellular iron regulation – e.g., the IRE/IRP system, ferritin
• Local iron regulation by hepatic and extra-hepatic hepcidin
• Iron deficiency and iron overload – hemochromatosis, iron-loading anemias
• Heme metabolism and erythropoiesis – e.g., ferrochelatase, heme oxygenase, hemoglobin
• Iron and infection
• Iron and neurodegenerative diseases e.g., Alzheimer's and Parkinson's
• Iron, ironome, enzyme function and drug development
• Ironome, biotechnology and industry - iron-containing proteins and enzymes have applications in various biotechnological processes, e.g., such as bioremediation and biofuel production
Ironomics, an interdisciplinary approach to comprehensively study iron in biological systems, and the ironome are now accepted concepts. However, the intricacies of the structural design(s), mechanisms and dynamics of the proteins governing the cellular processes in these biological systems remain elusive. Development of advanced techniques and tools for characterizing iron-containing proteins and the ironome is critical to gain deeper insights into the role of iron in health and disease. One major goal for this proposed Research Topic is to globally evaluate the current level of knowledge of the iron-binding environments in ironome proteins with different functions, so that new questions and innovative experimental approaches and technologies can be pursued and implemented. Special emphasis will be on the definition of the iron ligands in the metal-binding sites of different proteins in relation to their functional mechanism and dynamics. While the nature of the proposed articles might vary – with some focusing on the ironome and others on specific iron-binding proteins – the common goal of elucidating the elaborate network of proteins involved in maintaining iron homeostasis and its implications in various biological processes and diseases would remain constant.
Proposed specific themes for the Research Topic include but are not limited to:
• Iron-sulfur cluster proteins, including characterization of iron-binding, structure and function and iron-sulfur cluster assembly
• Ferroptosis, including iron and reactive-oxygen species (ROS) and cancer
• Iron transport and trafficking – e.g., ferroportin, transferrin, transferrin receptor
• Iron homeostasis, mitochondrial iron metabolism, and cellular iron regulation – e.g., the IRE/IRP system, ferritin
• Local iron regulation by hepatic and extra-hepatic hepcidin
• Iron deficiency and iron overload – hemochromatosis, iron-loading anemias
• Heme metabolism and erythropoiesis – e.g., ferrochelatase, heme oxygenase, hemoglobin
• Iron and infection
• Iron and neurodegenerative diseases e.g., Alzheimer's and Parkinson's
• Iron, ironome, enzyme function and drug development
• Ironome, biotechnology and industry - iron-containing proteins and enzymes have applications in various biotechnological processes, e.g., such as bioremediation and biofuel production
Keywords: Iron Metabolism, Iron Homeostasis, Iron Transport Proteins, Iron-Sulfur Cluster Assembly, Heme Biosynthesis, Ferritin, Transferrin, Iron Regulatory Proteins (IRPs), Frataxin, Iron-Responsive Elements (IREs), Erythropoiesis, Ferroptosis, Anemia (Iron-Deficiency Anemia), Heme Degradation
Important Note: All contributions to this Research Topic must be within the scope of the section and journal to which they are submitted, as defined in their mission statements. Frontiers reserves the right to guide an out-of-scope manuscript to a more suitable section or journal at any stage of peer review.
