Meta-Biol

• Pathways

The metallothionein MT3 binds 7 zinc(II) atoms in 2 clusters, one cluster of 4 atoms at the C-terminal alpha domain and one cluster of 3 atoms at the N-terminal beta domain (Eriste et al. 2003, Knipp et al. 2005, Meloni et al. 2007, Meloni et al. 2008, Meloni et al. 2009, Wu et al. 2014). Though MT3 has a lower overall affinity for zinc than MT2A does (Palumaa et al. 2005), MT3 is capable of binding an additional zinc atom with a binding constant of 100 micromolar (Eriste et al. 2003, Palumaa et al. 2005, Meloni et al. 2009). Stoichiometries up to MT3:11Zn2+ have been observed but the MT3:7Zn2+ form is more stable and predominates (Palumaa et al. 2002, Eriste et al. 2003, Palumaa et al.).