Structural and functional aspects of metal-thiolate centres in metallothionein.

Abstract

The structural parameters of the metal thiolate binding centres in metallothionein are summarized. Regardless of biological origin there appears to be a general concept. Four thiolate sulphurs are tetrahedrally arranged around a d10 metal. One functional aspect dealing with the direct metal transfer from these clusters into the vacant metal binding sites of many a copper and/or zinc protein is shown.