Zinc, an unexpected integrator of metabolism?

Abstract

Even when they no longer require the presence of iron, cells use zinc as a divalent cation, involved in a large variety of catalytic and regulatory functions. This metal is so important that it appears that ribosomes are instrumental in its ultimate storage. Here, we summarize a detailed analysis which investigates the way the global cell metabolism is integrated by zinc. This integration results from the zinc-dependent way in which the one-carbon metabolism is always coupled to the translation process, not only via methionine and S-adenosylmethionine, but via the complex set-up of the modification of the position 34 of the anticodon of tRNAs.

At the metal–metabolite interface in Aspergillus fumigatus: towards untangling the intersecting roles of zinc and gliotoxin

“…It also highlights a role for GtmA in this response. Interestingly, Danchin [39] has speculated on a global metabolic integration role for zinc.…”

Selective Metal Chelation by a Thiosemicarbazone Derivative Interferes with Mitochondrial Respiration and Ribosome Biogenesis in Candida albicans

“…Zinc is a cofactor for many enzymes, and maintaining intracellular zinc homeostasis is therefore critical for normal cell growth. The ribosome is considered a zinc store, and in some bacteria, the transcription of ribosomal proteins is regulated by the zinc-specific regulator Zur ( 43 – 45 ). However, little is known about the relationship between zinc homeostasis and ribosome biogenesis in fungal cells.…”

Methionine metabolism regulates pluripotent stem cell pluripotency and differentiation through zinc mobilization

“…Adequate expression of these MTs may be essential to maintain Zn at a proper range for cell growth and function maintenance. Ribosomal proteins are reported to function as Zn storage, are involved in Zn homeostasis, and act as Zn sensors in translational regulation (Danchin, 2020;Hensley et al, 2012).…”