Glossary

The vocabulary of the field, defined.

Every core term in microbial metallomics — each with its own in-depth, cited page. Jump to a letter, or browse the full list below.

C

CalprotectinCalprotectin is an abundant neutrophil protein complex (an S100A8/S100A9 heterodimer) that helps defend the host by sequestering manganese and zinc from microbes, and is measured in stool as a biomarker of gut inflammation.Read the full definition →

D

Dissimilatory Metal ReductionDissimilatory metal reduction is a form of anaerobic microbial respiration in which cells conserve energy by transferring respiratory electrons onto an oxidized metal, such as Fe(III), Mn(IV), or U(VI), used as the terminal electron acceptor.Read the full definition →

I

Irving–Williams SeriesThe Irving–Williams series is the empirical order of thermodynamic stability for high-spin divalent first-row transition-metal complexes, Mn(II) < Fe(II) < Co(II) < Ni(II) < Cu(II) > Zn(II), which holds regardless of the ligand.Read the full definition →

M

Metal IntoxicationMetal intoxication is the offensive arm of nutritional immunity in which host immune cells flood a trapped microbe with toxic excess copper and zinc to mismetalate its enzymes and destroy iron-sulfur clusters.Read the full definition →Metal SparingMetal sparing is the remodeling of a microbe's proteome during metal starvation, in which metal-requiring proteins are replaced by isozymes that use a different metal or no metal at all, thereby reducing cellular demand for the scarce element.Read the full definition →MetallochaperoneA metallochaperone is a soluble intracellular carrier protein that binds a specific metal ion and delivers it by direct protein-protein contact to a designated target enzyme or transporter.Read the full definition →MetallomeThe metallome is the entirety of metal and metalloid species within a cell or organism, comprising free ions together with all metal- and metalloid-containing biomolecules.Read the full definition →MetallomicsMetallomics is the integrated study of the metallome — the identity, quantity, distribution, coordination chemistry and biological function of all metals and metalloids in a cell, tissue or organism.Read the full definition →MetallophoreA metallophore is a low-molecular-weight molecule secreted by microorganisms to bind and acquire a specific scarce metal ion from the environment or host.Read the full definition →MetalloproteomeThe metalloproteome is the complete set of metal-binding proteins in an organism or cell, encompassing every protein that requires a metal ion or metal cofactor for its structure or function.Read the full definition →MetalloregulationMetalloregulation is the process by which cells sense intracellular metal-ion concentrations through metal-responsive regulatory proteins that switch target genes on or off to maintain metal homeostasis.Read the full definition →MetallostasisMetallostasis is the coordinated sensing, buffering, trafficking, and sparing of metal ions that keeps each essential metal's bioavailability within a narrow physiological range inside a cell.Read the full definition →MismetallationMismetallation is the binding of a metalloprotein's metal site by the wrong metal ion — usually a more competitive one — which inactivates or misdirects the enzyme.Read the full definition →

N

Nutritional ImmunityNutritional immunity is the host defense strategy of controlling transition-metal availability—withholding iron, zinc, and manganese or intoxicating microbes with copper and zinc—to limit the growth of invading pathogens.Read the full definition →

S

SiderophoreA siderophore is a small, high-affinity iron(III)-chelating molecule that microbes secrete to scavenge scarce environmental iron and import it into the cell.Read the full definition →