A Ferritin from Dendrorhynchus zhejiangensis with Heavy Metals Detoxification Activity

作者：Li Chenghua; Li Zhen; Li Ye; Zhou Jun; Zhang Chundan; Su Xiurong^*; Li Taiwu

来源：PLos One, 2012, 7(12): e51428.

DOI：10.1371/journal.pone.0051428

Ferritin, an iron homeostasis protein, has important functions in transition and storage of toxic metal ions. In this study, the full-length cDNA of ferritin was isolated from Dendrorhynchus zhejiangensis by cDNA library and RACE approaches. The higher similarity and conserved motifs for ferritin were also identified in worm counterparts, indicating that it belonged to a new member of ferritin family. The temporal expression of worm ferritin in haemocytes was analyzed by RT-PCR, and revealed the ferritin could be induced by Cd2+, Pb2+ and Fe2+. The heavy metal binding activity of recombinant ferritin was further elucidated by atomic force microscopy (AFM). It was observed that the ferritin protein could form a chain of beads with different size against three metals exposure, and the largest one with 35 similar to 40 nm in height was identified in the Cd2+ challenge group. Our results indicated that worm ferritin was a promising candidate for heavy metals detoxification.

• 出版日期2012-12-28
• 单位宁波城市职业技术学院; 宁波大学