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Metals in Biology
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Metals in BiologyBehaviour of Biomolecules
Eighteen metals in biological systems
Non- metal elements- H, C, N, O
Nine elements are required in significant amounts- called micronutrients
o Non-metals- S, P and Cl
o Metalloids/ semi-metals- Si
o Metals- Na, K, Mg, Ca, Fe
Twelve elements (mainly metals) are required in small quantities- called micronutrients
o Non- metals- F, I, Se
o Metals- V, Cr, Mn, Co, Ni, Cu, Zn, Mo, Sn
Some organisms require further micronutrients
o Non- metals- Br
o Metalloids- B, As
o Metals- Sr, Ba, W, Cd
Reasons for organisms to uti lise specifi c metals
For element to be used to organism
o Must be available in local environment
o Must be abundant
o Must be accessible/ extractable to biological organism
Reasons, major factors:
o Chemical suitability of element for particular function
o Choice is based on current availability
o Choice is also based on availability in evolutionary past- referred to as bioavailability
Function of s-Metals
Functi on of Na , K + , Ca 2 + , Mg 2 +
+
Group I metals- Na+, K+
o Found in cell communication- nerve cells
Group II metals- Ca2+, Mg2+,
o Bio-minerals, cell signalling, muscle, nucleotide chemistry
, Distributi on of Na + , K + , Ca 2 + , Mg 2 +
Group I metals- Na+, K+- dissolved in high concentration
Group II metals- Ca2+, Mg2+- found in lower concentrations
Membrane potenti al net negati ve in resti ng state
K+ and Na+ play important roles in membrane potentials
S- group metals- reasons for success
Outer s-electrons are easily lost > no upaired electrons
Aquated cations- Na+, K+- found in cell communication
Ionic bonds predominate as they are poor complexers- exception Ca2+
Other properties:
o Diamagnetic
o Colour-less
Concept of hard and soft metals
Hard metals bind to hard ligands
o Strong Lewis bases- OH- OR-, PO43+, NO3-, Cl-,
NH3
Soft metals bind soft ligands
o E.g. weak Lewis bases of N, O and S donors
In proteins, we know ligands are formed by:
o Hard- Glu/Asp, Thr/Ser/Tyr, peptide
carbonyl C=O
o Borderline- Met/ Cys
o Soft- peptide C(CO)N
Ca 2 + can have number of functi ons
Regulatory Actions:
o Ca2+ can be passed across cell membranes
o Provides intracellular signals
o Famous secondary messenger
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