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Cited by 22Trace Elements in HealthMass Spectrometry Techniques and ApplicationsHeavy Metal Exposure and Toxicity

Low-molecular-mass labile metal pools in Escherichia coli: advances using chromatography and mass spectrometry

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Brawley, Hayley N., Lindahl, Paul A.·2021·JBIC Journal of Biological Inorganic Chemistry
DOI 10.1007/s00775-021-01864-wPMC PMC8205893
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Abstract

Labile low-molecular-mass (LMM) transition metal complexes play essential roles in metal ion trafficking, regulation, and signalling in biological systems, yet their chemical identities remain largely unknown due to their rapid ligand-exchange rates and weak M–L bonds. Here, an Escherichia coli cytosol isolation procedure was developed that was devoid of detergents, strongly coordinating buffers, and EDTA. The interaction of the metal ions from these complexes with a SEC column was minimized by pre-loading the column with 67 ZnSO 4 and then monitoring 66 Zn and other metals by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) when investigating cytosolic ultrafiltration flow-through-solutions (FTSs). Endogenous cytosolic salts suppressed ESI-MS signals, making the detection of metal complexes difficult. FTSs contained ca. 80 µM Fe, 15 µM Ni, 13 µM Zn, 10 µM Cu, and 1.4 µM Mn (after correcting for dilution during cytosol isolation). FTSs exhibited 2–5 Fe, at least 2 Ni, 2–5 Zn, 2–4 Cu, and at least 2 Mn species with apparent masses between 300 and 5000 Da. Fe(ATP), Fe(GSH), and Zn(GSH) standards were passed through the column to assess their presence in FTS. Major LMM sulfur- and phosphorus-containing species were identified. These included reduced and oxidized glutathione, methionine, cysteine, orthophosphate, and common mono- and di-nucleotides such as ATP, ADP, AMP, and NADH. FTSs from cells grown in media supplemented with one of these metal salts exhibited increased peak intensity for the supplemented metal indicating that the size of the labile metal pools in E. coli is sensitive to the concentration of nutrient metals.

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  • A similar value of ∼80 μM for the labile pool was reported based on the ultrafiltration of E. coli lysates.

    “A similar value of ∼80 μM for the labile pool was reported based on the ultrafiltration of E. coli lysates.142”

    From Metals in Motion: Understanding Labile Metal Pools in Bacteria (2025) · cites this paper as [142]

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Cited by

Sorted by citations

Authors
Brawley, H. N., & Lindahl, P. A.
Affiliations
Texas A&M University (US)
Corresponding author
Lindahl, Paul A.
ORCID
Lindahl, Paul A.
Venue
JBIC Journal of Biological Inorganic Chemistry
Publisher
Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Published
2021-05-08
Volume
26
Issue
4
Pages
479-494
ISSN
  • 0949-8257 (ISSN-L)
  • 1432-1327
DOI
10.1007/s00775-021-01864-w
PMC
PMC8205893
OpenAlex
W3157690520
Cited by
22
References
1
Citations by year
2025: 5 · 2024: 1 · 2023: 7 · 2022: 6 · 2021: 3
FWCI
2.71
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Licence
Locations
  • JBIC Journal of Biological Inorganic Chemistry (publishedVersion, cc-by)
  • PubMed Central (publishedVersion, cc-by)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
Funders
  • National Science Foundation (MCB-1817389)
  • National Institute of General Medical Sciences (GM127021)
  • Welch Foundation (A1170)
Topics
  • Health Sciences › Nursing › Nutrition and Dietetics › Trace Elements in Health
  • Physical Sciences › Chemistry › Spectroscopy › Mass Spectrometry Techniques and Applications
  • Physical Sciences › Environmental Science › Health, Toxicology and Mutagenesis › Heavy Metal Exposure and Toxicity
Keywords
transition metal complexes, Escherichia coli, cytosol, glutathione, zinc, iron, copper, nickel, manganese, nucleotides
MeSH terms
Chromatography, Cytosol, Escherichia coli, Metals, Molecular Weight, Mass Spectrometry, Gene Expression Regulation, Bacterial, Coordination Complexes

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