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Journal of Undergraduate Research

Keywords

iron release, Azotobacter Vinelandii bacterial ferritin, AVBF

College

Physical and Mathematical Sciences

Department

Chemistry and Biochemistry

Abstract

I ron is an essential mineral nutrient required by all living systems. How Iron Is taken up, stored, and utilized by living systems is relevant to the understanding of life In general, and the relationship Iron metabolism has with human health. Azotobacter Vinelandii bacterial ferritin (AVBF) represents the bacterial protein molecule Involved In Iron storage and regulation. The 24 protein subunits and 12 heme groups that comprise A VBF arrange themselves structurally to form a hollow sphere in which AVBF stores Iron. The arrangement of protein subunits create channels roughly 50 nm in diameter that traverse the protein shell. These channels facilitate Iron transport and storage, a process governed by oxidation-reduction events on the protein’s surface. Spectrophotometric methods to monitor the iron release process, as well as reduction events at the protein surface, have been developed In our lab In order to characterize and understand the mechanism by which iron is released from AVBF.

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