Skip to main content
NCBI home page
Biochemical Journal logoLink to Biochemical Journal
. 1979 Sep 1;181(3):709–716. doi: 10.1042/bj1810709

The binding of ferric iron by ferritin.

A Treffry, P M Harrison
PMCID: PMC1161211  PMID: 518550

Abstract

Equilibrium-dialysis experiments with 59Fe-labelled Fe(III) chelate solutions show that ferritin is capable of binding a limited number of Fe(III) atoms. Some of this Fe(III) is readily removed, but up to about 200 Fe(III) atoms/molecule remain bound after extensive washing. Some exchange of labelled Fe(III) with endogenous unlabelled ferritin Fe occurs during prolonged dialysis against 59Fe(III)-citrate, but there is a net binding of Fe(III). Bound Fe(III) resembles endogenous Fe(III) in several respects. It appears to be attached to the micelle and not to the protein component of ferritin. Although the physiological mechanism of Fe incorporation into ferritin is unknown, our experiments suggest the possibility that some iron finds its way into ferritin as Fe(III) chelate.

Full text

PDF
709

Selected References

These references are in PubMed. This may not be the complete list of references from this article.

  1. Bryce C. F., Crichton R. R. The catalytic activity of horse spleen apoferritin. Preliminary kinetic studies and the effect of chemical modification. Biochem J. 1973 Jun;133(2):301–309. doi: 10.1042/bj1330301. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  2. Drysdale J. W., Munro H. N. Regulation of synthesis and turnover of ferritin in rat liver. J Biol Chem. 1966 Aug 10;241(15):3630–3637. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  3. Harris D. C. Iron exchange between ferritin and transferrin in vitro. Biochemistry. 1978 Jul 25;17(15):3071–3078. doi: 10.1021/bi00608a020. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  4. Harrison P. M., Hoy T. G., Macara I. G., Hoare R. J. Ferritin iron uptake and release. Structure-function relationships. Biochem J. 1974 Nov;143(2):445–451. doi: 10.1042/bj1430445. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  5. Hoy T. G., Harrison P. M., Shabbir M., Macara I. G. The release of iron from horse spleen ferritin to 1,10-phenanthroline. Biochem J. 1974 Jan;137(1):67–70. doi: 10.1042/bj1370067. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  6. Hoy T. G., Harrison P. M., Shabbir M. Uptake and release of ferritin iron. Surface effects and exchange within the crystalline core. Biochem J. 1974 Jun;139(3):603–607. doi: 10.1042/bj1390603. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  7. Hoy T. G., Harrison P. M. The uptake of ferric iron by rat liver ferritin in vivo and in vitro. Br J Haematol. 1976 Aug;33(4):497–504. doi: 10.1111/j.1365-2141.1976.tb03568.x. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  8. LOWRY O. H., ROSEBROUGH N. J., FARR A. L., RANDALL R. J. Protein measurement with the Folin phenol reagent. J Biol Chem. 1951 Nov;193(1):265–275. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  9. Lee S. S., Richter G. W. Biosynthesis of ferritin in rat hepatoma cells and rat livers. II. Binding of iron by ferritin protein. J Biol Chem. 1977 Mar 25;252(6):2054–2059. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  10. Macara I. G., Hoy T. G., Harrison P. M. The formation of ferritin from apoferritin. Catalytic action of apoferritin. Biochem J. 1973 Oct;135(2):343–348. doi: 10.1042/bj1350343. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  11. Macara I. G., Hoy T. G., Harrison P. M. The formation of ferritin from apoferritin. Kinetics and mechanism of iron uptake. Biochem J. 1972 Jan;126(1):151–162. doi: 10.1042/bj1260151. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  12. Miller J. P., Perkins D. J. Model experiments for the study of iron transfer from transferrin to ferritin. Eur J Biochem. 1969 Aug;10(1):146–151. doi: 10.1111/j.1432-1033.1969.tb00666.x. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  13. Niederer W. Ferritin: iron incorporation and iron release. Experientia. 1970;26(2):218–220. doi: 10.1007/BF01895596. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  14. Russell S. M., Harrison P. M. Heterogeneity in horse ferritins. A comparative study of surface charge, iron content and kinetics of iron uptake. Biochem J. 1978 Oct 1;175(1):91–104. doi: 10.1042/bj1750091. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  15. Turner J. C. Triton X-100 scintillant for carbon-14 labelled materials. Int J Appl Radiat Isot. 1968 Jul;19(7):557–563. doi: 10.1016/0020-708x(68)90065-3. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  16. Williams J. M., Danson D. P., Janot C. A Mossbauer determination of the iron core particle size distribution in ferritin. Phys Med Biol. 1978 Sep;23(5):835–851. doi: 10.1088/0031-9155/23/5/001. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]

Articles from Biochemical Journal are provided here courtesy of The Biochemical Society

RESOURCES