Commun. Biol. 1, 113 (2018).

Zinc is an essential micronutrient that serves as an important enzymatic co-factor in many biochemical reactions. A deficiency in zinc can result in a variety of health issues, ranging from neurological deficits to immune disorders to poor hepatic function. Preliminary reports suggest a linkage between adenylate, along with its associated nucleotides (AMP, ADP, ATP), and zinc metabolism. In a new report in Communications Biology, four extra-cellular enzymes involved in hydrolysis to the ATP degradation products have been related to the biochemistry of this co-factor. By correlating metabolite levels—in vitro and in vivo—with enzyme activity levels of four extra-cellular associated enzymes, investigators found a link between zinc metabolism and levels of adenine-associated metabolites. This relationship varied by tissue, which would be consistent with expression levels of the associated enzymes.