Skip to main content

Thank you for visiting nature.com. You are using a browser version with limited support for CSS. To obtain the best experience, we recommend you use a more up to date browser (or turn off compatibility mode in Internet Explorer). In the meantime, to ensure continued support, we are displaying the site without styles and JavaScript.

  • Scientific Correspondence
  • Published:

Metallothionein in snail Cd and Cu metabolism

Nature volume 388, pages 237–238 (1997)Cite this article

A Correction to this article was published on 14 August 1997

Abstract

Terrestrial snails tolerate elevated concentrations of cadmium and copper, accumulating both metals in their soft tissues1. The snails are able to inactivate the toxic cadmium while meeting their metabolic requirement for copper. Here we report evidence for the metabolic discrimination between the two metals based on the existence of distinct metallothionein isoforms, one dedicated to cadmium detoxification and another to copper regulation.

This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution

Access options

Buy this article

  • Purchase on Springer Link
  • Instant access to full article PDF
Buy now

Prices may be subject to local taxes which are calculated during checkout

Figure 1: Primary structures of the cadmium- and copper-binding metallothionein isoforms from the midgut gland and mantle of H. pomatia.
Figure 2: Linear relationship (bold line, regression coefficient r=0.96), with 95% confidence limits (hatched lines) between molar concentrations (on a tissue dry-mass basis) of Cd and Cd-metallothionein (Cd-MT) in the midgut gland H. pomatia fed on a Cd-enriched diet (3.5-955 μg Cd per g dry mass) for 14 days.

References

  1. Dallinger, R. in Ecotoxicology of Metals in Invertebrates(eds Dallinger, R. & Rainbow, P. S.) 245-289 (Lewis, Boca Raton, 1993).

  2. Knutti, R. et al.Environ. ToxinSer. 2, 171-191 (1988).

  3. Simkiss, K. & Mason, A. Z. in Metal Ions: Metabolic and Toxic Effects(ed. Hochachka, P. W.) 102-164 (Academic, New York, 1983).

  4. Van Holde, K. E. & Miller, K. I. Adv. Protein Chem. 47, 1-81 (1995).

  5. Kägi, J. H. R. Meth. Enzymol. 205, 613-626 (1991).

  6. Dallinger, R. et al.Eur. J. Biochem. 216, 739-746 (1993).

  7. Berger, B., Hunziker, P. E., Hauer, C. R., Birchler, N. & Dallinger, R. Biochem. J. 311, 951-957 (1995).

  8. Sminia, T. & Vlugt van Daalen, J. E. Cell Tiss. Res. 183, 299-301 (1977).

  9. Li, H. & Otvos, J. D. Biochemistry 35, 13929-13936 (1996).

  10. Brouwer, M. Adv. Inorg. Biochem. 11, 235-260 (1996).

  11. Berger, B., Dallinger, R. & Thomaser, A. Environ. Toxicol. Chem. 14, 781-791 (1995).

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. (Abteilung Ökophysiologie), Institut für Zoologie und Limnologie, Universität Innsbruck, Technikerstrasse 25, A-6020, Innsbruck, Austria

    Reinhard Dallinger & Burkhard Berger

  2. Biochemisches Institut der Universität Zürich, Winterthurerstrasse 190, Zürich, CH-8057, Switzerland

    Peter Hunziger & Jeremias H. R. Kgi

Authors
  1. Reinhard Dallinger
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Burkhard Berger
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Peter Hunziger
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Jeremias H. R. Kgi
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Dallinger, R., Berger, B., Hunziger, P. et al. Metallothionein in snail Cd and Cu metabolism. Nature 388, 237–238 (1997). https://doi.org/10.1038/40785

Download citation

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/40785

This article is cited by

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.

Search

Advanced search

Quick links

Nature Briefing

Sign up for the Nature Briefing newsletter — what matters in science, free to your inbox daily.

Get the most important science stories of the day, free in your inbox. Sign up for Nature Briefing