Metallomics and the Cell provides in an authoritative and timely manner in 16 stimulating chapters, written by 37 internationally recognized experts from 9 nations, and supported by more than 3000 references, several tables, and 110 illustrations, mostly in color, a most up-to-date view of the "metallomes" which, as defined in the "omics" world, describe the entire set of biomolecules that interact with or are affected by each metal ion. The most relevant tools for visualizing metal ions in the cell and the most suitable bioinformatic tools for browsing genomes to identify metal-binding proteins are also presented. Thus, MILS-12 is of relevance for structural and systems biology, inorganic biological chemistry, genetics, medicine, diagnostics, as well as teaching, etc.

This book focuses on recent topics in metallomics, a study of the metallome, or metal-containing biomolecules. Metals can induce various physiological and toxicological effects in a very small amounts, in other words, the concentrations of biometals are very low in organisms. Thus, analytical techniques for a trace amount of metal are crucial to understand the biological and toxicological functions of metals.This volume begins with an overview of metallomics including the history and development of the field. Subsequent parts provide basic and advanced techniques for metallomics. Speciation and imaging of metals are basic approaches to reveal the function of the metallome. The applications of speciation using an HPLC hyphenated with inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (LC-ICP-MS) and flow cytometry ICP-MS are described. As advanced approaches, the applications using a micro-flow injection-ICP-MS, an ICP-triple quadrupole mass spectrometer, an ICP-sector field mass spectrometer, and an ICP-multi-collector mass spectrometer are mentioned. For the imaging of metals, basic principles and applications of several techniques such as scanning X-ray fluorescence microscopy and ICP-MS equipped with laser ablation (LA-ICP-MS) are presented. Speciation analyses using electrospray ionization mass spectrometry (ESI-MS), X-ray Absorption Spectroscopy (XAS), and nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy (NMR) are also introduced. The last part highlights the medical and pharmaceutical applications of metallomics. Molecular biological approaches to reveal the effects of toxic metals, metal functions in brain and neurodegenerative diseases, and metallodrugs are explained. The topic of metal transporters is also presented.

Over the last three decades a lot of research on the role of metals in biochemistry and medicine has been done. As a result many structures of biomolecules with metals have been characterized and medicinal chemistry studied the effects of metal containing drugs. This new book (from the EIBC Book Series) covers recent advances made by top researchers in the field of metals in cells [the “metallome”] and include: regulated metal ion uptake and trafficking, sensing of metals within cells and across tissues, and identification of the vast cellular factors designed to orchestrate assembly of metal cofactor sites while minimizing toxic side reactions of metals. In addition, it features aspects of metals in disease, including the role of metals in neuro-degeneration, liver disease, and inflammation, as a way to highlight the detrimental effects of mishandling of metal trafficking and response to "foreign" metals. With the breadth of our recently acquired understanding of metals in cells, a book that features key aspects of cellular handling of inorganic elements is both timely and important. At this point in our understanding, it is worthwhile to step back and take an expansive view of how far our understanding has come, while also highlighting how much we still do not know. The content from this book will publish online, as part of EIBC in December 2013, find out more about the Encyclopedia of Inorganic and Bioinorganic Chemistry, the essential online resource for researchers and students working in all areas of inorganic and bioinorganic chemistry.

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.

Metal ions play key roles in biology. Many are essential for catalysis, for electron transfer and for the fixation, sensing, and metabolism of gases. Others compete with those essential metal ions or have toxic or pharmacological effects. This book is structured around the periodic table and focuses on the control of metal ions in cells. It addresses the molecular aspects of binding, transport and storage that ensure balanced levels of the essential elements. Organisms have also developed mechanisms to deal with the non-essential metal ions. However, through new uses and manufacturing processes, organisms are increasingly exposed to changing levels of both essential and non-essential ions in new chemical forms. They may not have developed defenses against some of these forms (such as nanoparticles). Many diseases such as cancer, diabetes and neurodegeneration are associated with metal ion imbalance. There may be a deficiency of the essential metals, overload of either essential or non-essential metals or perturbation of the overall natural balance. This book is the first to comprehensively survey the molecular nature of the overall natural balance of metal ions in nutrition, toxicology and pharmacology. It is written as an introduction to research for students and researchers in academia and industry and begins with a chapter by Professor R J P Williams FRS.

This book covers the new Omics area, Metallomics. As Metallomics is intrinsically a transdisciplinary area, this book is authored by experts in the field on such diverse topics as Environmental, Nuclear, and Human Metallomics. Within these topics metals play important role, as being part of biomolecules, controlling different biochemical process, being signaling agents, being catalyst of biochemical reactions, among others. This volume demonstrates the importance of more investigation about metals and their interactions with biomolecules. As the knowledge in this field is growing and growing daily, then new challenges concerning studies involving Metallomics is appearing, such as comparative metallomics, speciation metallomics, real-time metallomics, new predictions of metals in biomolecules, metalloprotein databank expansion, interactions between metalloprotein-metalloprotein, among others.

Metallomics is an integrated biometal science as it unifies different disciplines into a mainstream subject that can be taught to students of the biological and biomedical sciences. Metallomics bridges chemistry and the biological sciences from a global and quantitative systems approach, while the biological context provides new insights into the functions of metals in biological cells. The book challenges the traditional view of relating biochemistry only to organic chemistry, and discusses the structure and function of metal ions in the context of their environment in organisms.This is an essential read for undergraduate and graduate students in the fields of biochemistry, cell biology, nutrition (trace element research), toxicology, pharmacology and ecology.