Metalloprotein facts for kids

The structure of hemoglobin. The haeme cofactor, containing iron, shown in green.

A metalloprotein is a protein that contains a metal ion cofactor. A large fraction of all proteins are members of this category, so the number is very large.

It is estimated that about half of all proteins contain a metal. In another estimate, about one-quarter to one-third of all proteins need metals to carry out their functions. Thus, metalloproteins have many different functions in cells, such as enzymes, transport and storage proteins, and signal transduction proteins.

Images for kids

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  Rubredoxin active site.

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  The copper site in plastocyanin

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  Active site of carbonic anhydrase. The three coordinating histidine residues are shown in green, hydroxide in red and white, and the zinc in gray.

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  Structure of a human superoxide dismutase 2 tetramer

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  The active site structures of the three types of hydrogenase enzymes.

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  EF-hand motif

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  Zinc finger. The zinc ion (green) is coordinated by two histidine residues and two cysteine residues.

See also

In Spanish: Metaloproteína para niños