One of the challenges faced by every cell as well as by whole organisms is to maintain appropriate concentrations of essential nutrient metals while excluding nonessential toxic metals. Toward that end, all organisms have developed mechanisms for metal homeostasis and detoxification to maintain metal levels within physiological limits. This book brings together current knowledge of the molecular basis of metal homeostasis and detoxification in various eukaryotic model systems, including yeasts, plants, and mammals. It focuses on the cellular systems controlling metal transport, intracellular distribution, and immobilization as well as on systems regulating metal-dependent transcription. In addition to environmental aspects (including phytoremediation), the book treats the pathophysiology of metal deficiency and overload in relation to disease.

This book covers allocation of metals in cells, metal transporter, storage and metalloregulatory proteins, cellular responses to metal ion stress, transcription of genes involved in metal ion homeostasis, uptake of essential metals, metal efflux and other detoxification mechanisms. The book also discusses metal bioreporters for the nanomolar range of concentration and tools to address the metallome. In addition, coverage details specific metals.

This volume of Current Topics in Membranes focuses on metal transmembrane transporters and pumps, a recently discovered family of membrane proteins with many important roles in the physiology of living organisms. The book summarizes the most recent advances in the field of metal ion transport and provides a broad overview of the major classes of transporters involved in homeostasis of heavy metals. Various families of the transporters and metal specificities are discussed with the focus on the structural and mechanistic aspects of their function and regulation. The reader will access information obtained through a variety of approaches ranging from X-ray crystallography to cell biology and bioinformatics, which have been applied to transporters identified in diverse biological systems, such as pathogenic bacteria, plants, humans and others. Field is cutting-edge and a lot of the information is new to research community Wide breadth of topic coverage Contributors of high renown and expertise

Reviews recent research in eukaryotic, agricultural, environmental, and microbial biotechnology with a view to keeping scientists, government officials, and industrialists up to date on trends and advances in subspecialties adjacent to their own. Some of the specific topics are moveable elements in the human genome, agricultural applications of coat protein mediated protection, and the analysis of epitope in the cholera family of enterotoxins. The 29 papers were presented at a conference in Bangkok, Thailand, August 1990. Annotation copyright by Book News, Inc., Portland, OR

Metals such as copper, iron, manganese, and zinc are clearly required for proper metabolism and development, while imbalances can lead to systemic dysfunction and disease. As a result, organisms have evolved complex genetic systems for the regulation of metal levels, including import, export, and sequestration of metals within cells and sub-cellular compartments. The study of metal biology in insects has the potential to greatly expand our understanding of metal biology. The results of such studies might point to new possible therapeutic interventions for neurological and other human diseases, as well as new strategies for insect disease vector control. The articles collected in this Research Topic comprise review and original research on metal biology in insects.

Plant Metal Interaction: Emerging Remediation Techniques covers different heavy metals and their effect on soils and plants, along with the remediation techniques currently available. As cultivable land is declining day-by-day as a result of increased metals in our soil and water, there is an urgent need to remediate these effects. This multi-contributed book is divided into four sections covering the whole of plant metal interactions, including heavy metals, approaches to alleviate heavy metal stress, microbial approaches to remove heavy metals, and phytoremediation. - Provides an overview of the effect of different heavy metals on growth, biochemical reactions, and physiology of various plants - Serves as a reference guide for available techniques, challenges, and possible solutions in heavy metal remediation - Covers sustainable technologies in uptake and removal of heavy metals

With chapter contributions from more than 30 metal biology experts, Cellular and Molecular Biology of Metals explains the role of key divalent metal ions involved in the molecular and cellular biology of various target cell populations. Although it primarily focuses on homeostatic metals, such as nickel, zinc, and chromium, the text also discusses

Sulphur (S) plays a pivotal role in various plant growth and development processes being a constituent of sulphur-containing amino acids, cysteine and methionine, and other metabolites viz., glutathione and phytochelatins, co-factor of enzymes which contribute to stress repair and amelioration of heavy metal toxicity. Besides, a number of S-containing components are biologically active and, thus, a source for use as medicinal value. The basic global issue before the agricultural scientist and world community is to evolve cultivars and develop methodologies for efficient use of inputs to enhance agricultural productivity. This is particularly true of the developing countries which are going to see maximum rise in population with changing food demands and declining availability of land. Amongst the inputs, nutrients play a crucial role. The major requirement is for N, P and K followed by several micro-nutrients. In this context reports of world-wide S deficiency in the agricultural systems are relevant. The reasons are many. Broadly speaking reduction inS emission, use of S-free N, P and K fertilizers and higher biomass production contributed the maximum. Despite the need for sulphur as an essential plant nutrient and the substantial returns expected from its use, very little attention has been given to fill the gap between supply and demand of S.

Heavy metals are severe environmental pollutants, and many of them are toxic even at very low concentrations. With industrial development, soil pollution with heavy metal elements have dramatically increased. The uptake of heavy metals via plants that are exposed to contaminated soils is a risk for human health and a major hazard for the ecosystem as a whole, including soil microorganisms. On the other hand, plants may be used in the decontamination of soils. The topics presented in this book include: sources of heavy metals contaminants in soils; plant species that can grow on contaminated soils; the phytoremediation of contaminated soils; tolerance, accumulation and detoxification mechanisms of zinc, copper, arsenic, cadmium and vanadium in plants; the critical role of sulfur metabolism in heavy metal tolerance; the role of aquatic macrophytes, plant growth-promoting bacteria, sugar crops and earthworms in detoxification; and heavy metal stabilization by promoting zeolite synthesis in soils.

This is the first volume on the role of metal ions in regulating genes to focus not only on toxicity effects of metals but also on the role of metal ions in normal metabolisms, in both prokaryotes and in eukaryotes. This book is a comprehensive treatment of the role of metal ions in gene regulation, and it will be of great utility for those doing basic biological and biomedical research.