Abstract
A FERREDOXIN may have been one of the earliest proteins formed. The evidence for this assumption was recently presented by Hall et al.1 based on the primary structures of several ferredoxins. Here, further evidence is reported for the early evolution of ferredoxins, and the origins of ferredoxins and other metalloproteins are discussed from an inorganic point of view based on thermodynamic data.
This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution
Access options
Subscribe to this journal
Receive 51 print issues and online access
$199.00 per year
only $3.90 per issue
Buy this article
- Purchase on Springer Link
- Instant access to full article PDF
Prices may be subject to local taxes which are calculated during checkout
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Hall, D. O., Cammack, R., and Rao, K. K., Nature, 233, 136–138 (1971).
Ponnamperuma, C., Q. Rev. Biophys., 4, 77–106 (1971).
Sillén, L. G., Arkiv Kemi, 25, 159–176 (1966).
Malkin, R., and Rabinowitz, J. C., Biochem. biophys. Res. Commun., 23, 822–827 (1966).
McCarthy, K., and Lovenberg, W., J. biol. Chem., 243, 6436–6441 (1968).
Sugiura, Y., and Tanaka, H., Biochem. biophys. Res. Commun., 46, 335–340 (1972).
Hardy, R. W. F., Burns, R. C., and Parshall, G. W., Bioinorganic Chemistry, (edit. by Gould, R. F.) 219–247 (American Chemical Society, Washington, DC, 1971).
Schrauzer, G. N., and Schlesinger, G., J. Am. chem. Soc., 92, 1808–1809 (1970).
Olson, J. M., Science, 168, 438–446 (1970).
Keele, B. B., Jr., McCord, J. M., and Fridowich, I., J. biol. Chem., 245, 6176–6181 (1970).
Sillén, L. G., and Martell, A. E., Stability Constants, (Second ed.), (Chem. Soc. Spec. Publ. No. 17, 1964; Supplement No. 1, Chem. Soc. Spec. Publ. No. 25, 1971).
Sillén, L. G., Oceanography, 0, 549–581 (1959).
Lohrmann, R., and Orgel, L. E., Nature, 244, 418–420 (1973).
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
ÖSTERBERG, R. Origins of metal ions in biology. Nature 249, 382–383 (1974). https://doi.org/10.1038/249382a0
Received:
Revised:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/249382a0
This article is cited by
-
The plasticity of redox cofactors: from metalloenzymes to redox-active DNA
Nature Reviews Chemistry (2018)
-
Prebiotic synthesis of phosphoenol pyruvate by α-phosphorylation-controlled triose glycolysis
Nature Chemistry (2017)
-
UV-light-driven prebiotic synthesis of iron–sulfur clusters
Nature Chemistry (2017)
Comments
By submitting a comment you agree to abide by our Terms and Community Guidelines. If you find something abusive or that does not comply with our terms or guidelines please flag it as inappropriate.