Metallomics is the study of how metals interact with living systems at the molecular level. It is a relatively new field that is growing rapidly due to the increasing importance of metals in medicine, industry and the environment. Metallomics research aims to understand how metal ions affect biological processes and how they can be used to modulate these processes for therapeutic or industrial purposes.
The field of metallomics emerged in the early 2000s, driven by advances in analytical techniques such as inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) and nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR). These techniques allow for the detection and quantification of trace metal ions in complex biological samples. Using these techniques, researchers have been able to show that metal ions play important roles in a wide variety of cellular processes, including cell proliferation, metabolism, gene expression and signal transduction.
Metal ions are essential for many enzymes involved in key metabolic pathways such as DNA replication and energy production. They are also required for the function of some proteins involved in cell signaling. In addition, metals play important roles in regulating gene expression through their effects on transcription factors and other regulatory proteins. Changes in metal ion concentrations can therefore lead to changes in gene expression and protein activity, which can alter cellular physiology.
Metals also play crucial roles in mediating interactions between cells and their environment. For example, zinc is required for proper immune system function and iron is essential for bacterial pathogenesis. Additionally, many metals are toxic at high concentrations and can cause damage to cells or even death. Therefore, tight regulation of metal ion concentrations is essential for maintaining homeostasis within cells and tissues.
Because of their widespread importance, alterations in metal ion homeostasis have been implicated in a number of diseases ranging from cancer to neurodegenerative disorders (1). Therefore, metallomics research has great potential implications not only for improving our understanding of disease pathogenesis but also for developing new diagnostic tools and therapeutics targeting specific alterations in metal ion metabolism (2).