Iron articles within Nature Chemistry

Featured

• Article | 09 April 2018

  A [4Fe–4S]-Fe(CO)(CN)-l-cysteine intermediate is the first organometallic precursor in [FeFe] hydrogenase H-cluster bioassembly

  The biosynthesis of the [FeFe] hydrogenase active site H-cluster requires several Fe–S proteins that perform poorly understood reactions. Now, a reaction intermediate trapped in the enzyme HydG is shown to contain a [(Cys)Fe(CO)(CN)] species identified as the first organometallic Fe moiety en route to the catalytic H-cluster.

  • Guodong Rao
  • , Lizhi Tao
  •  & R. David Britt

• Article | 16 May 2017

  Salinomycin kills cancer stem cells by sequestering iron in lysosomes

  Cancer stem cells are typically refractory to conventional treatments. Now, an unprecedented mechanism has been discovered by which salinomycin and derivatives can sequester iron in lysosomes leading to cytoplasmic iron depletion and the subsequent production of reactive oxygen species that are lethal to the cell. This discovery of the importance of iron in cancer stem cell maintenance provides an opportunity for developing new therapeutics.

  • Trang Thi Mai
  • , Ahmed Hamaï
  •  & Raphaël Rodriguez