Metal Binding Proteins

Metal ions play several major roles in proteins: structural, regulatory, and enzymatic. The binding of some metal increase stability proteins or protein domains. Some can regulate various cell processes being first, second, third messengers. ions, especially transition take part catalysis many enzymes. From ten to twelve metals are vitally important for activity living organisms: sodium, potassium, magnesium, calcium, manganese, iron, cobalt, zinc, nickel, vanadium, molybdenum, tungsten. This short review is devoted physical, chemical, physiological properties proteins, which specifically bind these cations.