Metals and metalloproteins

Transition metals (iron, copper, manganese, cobalt, …) are paramagnetic because of the incomplete electron orbital. In some oxidation states, transition metals may however lose paramagnetic properties.

EPR spectroscopy can then detect the presence of transition metals for example in the contamination of materials (eg from chromium, iron or manganese) or in macromolecules (metalloproteins).

In this case the metals are paramagnetic only in some functional states of the macromolecules, their monitoring allows to obtain information about the numerous cellular processes in which these macromolecules (cytochromes, proteins containing iron-sulfur clusters, hemoglobin, ceruloplasmin, transferrin) are involved (eg, bioenergetics, signaling).

Contact: Donatella Pietraforte
☎ +39 06 4990 2907