In the gut microbiome, hundreds of trillions of microorganisms and the host compete for limited nutrients like metal ions. The importance of metals in this complex multi-organism ecosystem for health is undisputed and several mechanisms by which infectious microbes compete for metals are relatively well-defined. On the other hand, the mechanisms by which commensal or beneficial microbiome members acquire and regulate metals at the interface with the host and/or pathogens is poorly defined.
Furthermore, the requirements and roles of various metals among microbiome organisms, including the roles of metals in gut microbial functions that influence host health, are not well understood. A range of interdisciplinary techniques are required to define and understand the metallome of the microbiota.
The accompanying papers of this special collection highlight recent advances in the study of metals in the microbiota and at interfaces with the host and pathogens. This collection includes both original research and review articles that cover the latest developments in this field. We hope that this special collection will be useful to the wider Metallomics community by serving as a useful representation of the current status of metallomics and microbiota research while highlighting nascent research questions that are primed for study.
Special Collection
Paper
Research Article
In an attempt to treat neglected diseases such as leishmaniasis and fungal infections, three novel copper(II) hybrid have been developed: [Cu(dppz)(CTZ)(NO 3 )](NO 3 ) ( 1 ), [Cu(dppz)(KTZ)(H 2 O)(NO 3 )](NO 3 ) ( 2 ), [Cu(dppz)(FLZ)(NO 3 )] 2 (NO 3 ) 2 ( 3 ). They were synthesized by coordinating ...
In an attempt to treat neglected diseases such as leishmaniasis and fungal infections, three novel copper(II) hybrid have been developed: [Cu(dppz)(CTZ)(NO 3 )](NO 3 ) ( 1 ), [Cu(dppz)(KTZ)(H 2 O)(NO 3 )](NO 3 ) ( 2 ), [Cu(dppz)(FLZ)(NO 3 )] 2 (NO 3 ) 2 ( 3 ). They were synthesized by coordinating ...
Paper
Research Article
Volcanic ash is a significant source of micronutrients including iron (Fe), copper (Cu), and zinc (Zn) in oligotrophic tropical waters. These bioactive metals enhance primary productivity, influencing local and global biogeochemical cycles. This study explores how volcanic ash exposure affects ...
Volcanic ash is a significant source of micronutrients including iron (Fe), copper (Cu), and zinc (Zn) in oligotrophic tropical waters. These bioactive metals enhance primary productivity, influencing local and global biogeochemical cycles. This study explores how volcanic ash exposure affects ...
Paper
Research Article
Chelation therapy is a promising approach to mitigating health risks associated with toxic metal exposure, which contributes to cardiovascular disease, neurotoxicity, and other chronic conditions. disodium ethylene diamine tetraacetic acid (EDTA) is widely used, but its optimal dosing strategy ...
Chelation therapy is a promising approach to mitigating health risks associated with toxic metal exposure, which contributes to cardiovascular disease, neurotoxicity, and other chronic conditions. disodium ethylene diamine tetraacetic acid (EDTA) is widely used, but its optimal dosing strategy ...
Special Issue: Neurometallomics
Research Article
Brain metal homeostasis is essential for healthy neurological function, and disturbed brain metal homeostasis has deleterious consequences for neurodevelopment or cognitive outcome following injury or during disease. Specific regions of the brain (e.g. the hippocampus and subregions within) are ...
Brain metal homeostasis is essential for healthy neurological function, and disturbed brain metal homeostasis has deleterious consequences for neurodevelopment or cognitive outcome following injury or during disease. Specific regions of the brain (e.g. the hippocampus and subregions within) are ...
Paper
Research Article
Nickel is a required nutrient for bacteria to produce [NiFe]-hydrogenase and urease enzymes. [NiFe]-hydrogenase catalyzes the reversible conversion of hydrogen into protons and electrons and urease catalyzes the hydrolysis of urea into carbon dioxide and ammonia—both key in bacterial pathogenesis. ...
Nickel is a required nutrient for bacteria to produce [NiFe]-hydrogenase and urease enzymes. [NiFe]-hydrogenase catalyzes the reversible conversion of hydrogen into protons and electrons and urease catalyzes the hydrolysis of urea into carbon dioxide and ammonia—both key in bacterial pathogenesis. ...
Paper
Research Article
Copper-based materials are actively explored for their potential as antimicrobial agents. However, recent studies show that sublethal concentrations of Cu ions can induce the viable-but-nonculturable (VBNC) cell state in certain bacteria, hampering contamination control, and monitoring. In this ...
Copper-based materials are actively explored for their potential as antimicrobial agents. However, recent studies show that sublethal concentrations of Cu ions can induce the viable-but-nonculturable (VBNC) cell state in certain bacteria, hampering contamination control, and monitoring. In this ...
Paper
Research Article
It is currently unknown why some individuals with Parkinson’s disease (PD) go on to develop dementia [Parkinson’s disease dementia (PDD)], whereas others do not. One possibility is differences in susceptibility to metallomic dysregulation. A previous study of the PDD brain identified substantive ...
It is currently unknown why some individuals with Parkinson’s disease (PD) go on to develop dementia [Parkinson’s disease dementia (PDD)], whereas others do not. One possibility is differences in susceptibility to metallomic dysregulation. A previous study of the PDD brain identified substantive ...
CRITICAL REVIEW
Review Article
Trace elements (TEs) are indispensable nutritional elements, playing a pivotal role in maintaining human health and serving as essential cofactors for numerous enzymes that facilitate crucial biological processes. The dysregulation (excess or deficiency) of TEs can affect the proper functioning of ...
Trace elements (TEs) are indispensable nutritional elements, playing a pivotal role in maintaining human health and serving as essential cofactors for numerous enzymes that facilitate crucial biological processes. The dysregulation (excess or deficiency) of TEs can affect the proper functioning of ...
Special Issue: Neurometallomics
Research Article
Normal functioning of the human brain is dependent on adequate regulation of essential metal nutrients. However, it is also highly sensitive to metal-mediated toxicity, linked to various neurodegenerative disorders. Exposure to environmental metal sources (especially to particulate air pollution) ...
Normal functioning of the human brain is dependent on adequate regulation of essential metal nutrients. However, it is also highly sensitive to metal-mediated toxicity, linked to various neurodegenerative disorders. Exposure to environmental metal sources (especially to particulate air pollution) ...
Neurometallomics
Review Article
Metal homeostasis in the nervous system is subtly regulated and changes in metal distribution or content, either increases or decreases, are associated with neurodegeneration or cognitive impairment. Determining the localization and quantification of metals in different types of neurons is ...
Metal homeostasis in the nervous system is subtly regulated and changes in metal distribution or content, either increases or decreases, are associated with neurodegeneration or cognitive impairment. Determining the localization and quantification of metals in different types of neurons is ...
Paper
Research Article
We previously used high pressure liquid chromatography coupled with Se-specific inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry and molecule specific (ESI Orbitrap MS/MS) detection to study the increase in liver Se in turkeys and rats supplemented as selenite in high-Se (5 µg Se/g diet) and ...
We previously used high pressure liquid chromatography coupled with Se-specific inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry and molecule specific (ESI Orbitrap MS/MS) detection to study the increase in liver Se in turkeys and rats supplemented as selenite in high-Se (5 µg Se/g diet) and ...
Perspective
Research Article
Metals and metalloids including cobalt, gadolinium, lutetium, and germanium are used in numerous medical applications spanning diverse specialities including orthopedics, radiology, oncology, and healthcare artificial intelligence. These medical advances include cobalt containing orthopedic ...
Metals and metalloids including cobalt, gadolinium, lutetium, and germanium are used in numerous medical applications spanning diverse specialities including orthopedics, radiology, oncology, and healthcare artificial intelligence. These medical advances include cobalt containing orthopedic ...
Paper
Research Article
Non-enzymatic glycation is the chemical reaction between the amine group of an amino acid and the carbonyl group of a reducing sugar. The final products of this reaction, advanced glycation end-products (AGEs), are known to play a key role in aging and many chronic diseases. The kinetics of the AGE ...
Non-enzymatic glycation is the chemical reaction between the amine group of an amino acid and the carbonyl group of a reducing sugar. The final products of this reaction, advanced glycation end-products (AGEs), are known to play a key role in aging and many chronic diseases. The kinetics of the AGE ...
Minireview
Review Article
Trace metals are indispensable nutritional factors for all living organisms. During host-pathogen interactions, they serve as crucial resources that dictate infection outcomes. Accordingly, the host uses a defense strategy known as nutritional immunity, which relies on coordinated metal chelation ...
Trace metals are indispensable nutritional factors for all living organisms. During host-pathogen interactions, they serve as crucial resources that dictate infection outcomes. Accordingly, the host uses a defense strategy known as nutritional immunity, which relies on coordinated metal chelation ...
Paper
Research Article
Cupriavidus metallidurans is able to thrive in metal-rich environments but also survives metal starvation. Expression of metal resistance determinants in C. metallidurans was investigated on a global scale. Cupriavidus metallidurans was challenged with a MultiTox metal mix specifically designed for ...
Cupriavidus metallidurans is able to thrive in metal-rich environments but also survives metal starvation. Expression of metal resistance determinants in C. metallidurans was investigated on a global scale. Cupriavidus metallidurans was challenged with a MultiTox metal mix specifically designed for ...
Paper
Research Article
Kidney stones, as typical biominerals produced within the human body, pose a significant threat to human health, affecting over 12% of the global population. However, the exact mechanisms underlying their formation are not fully understood. Recent metal isotopic analysis provides a new way to study ...
Kidney stones, as typical biominerals produced within the human body, pose a significant threat to human health, affecting over 12% of the global population. However, the exact mechanisms underlying their formation are not fully understood. Recent metal isotopic analysis provides a new way to study ...
Paper
Research Article
Cupriavidus metallidurans CH34 is a metal-resistant bacterium. Its metal homeostasis is based on a flow equilibrium of metal ion uptake and efflux reactions, which adapts to changing metal concentrations within an hour. At high metal concentrations, upregulation of the genes for metal efflux ...
Cupriavidus metallidurans CH34 is a metal-resistant bacterium. Its metal homeostasis is based on a flow equilibrium of metal ion uptake and efflux reactions, which adapts to changing metal concentrations within an hour. At high metal concentrations, upregulation of the genes for metal efflux ...
Paper
Research Article
The shell color of Corbicula clams, which are globally distributed, is roughly divided into yellowish and blackish depending on the environmental conditions of the sediment. The formation of an iron–L-3,4-dihydroxyphenylalanine (DOPA) complex in a thin organic layer, called the periostracum, on a ...
The shell color of Corbicula clams, which are globally distributed, is roughly divided into yellowish and blackish depending on the environmental conditions of the sediment. The formation of an iron–L-3,4-dihydroxyphenylalanine (DOPA) complex in a thin organic layer, called the periostracum, on a ...
Neurometallomics
Research Article
The brain is a privileged organ with regard to its trace element composition and maintains a robust barrier system to sequester this specialized environment from the rest of the body and the vascular system. Stroke is caused by loss of adequate blood flow to a region of the brain. Without adequate ...
The brain is a privileged organ with regard to its trace element composition and maintains a robust barrier system to sequester this specialized environment from the rest of the body and the vascular system. Stroke is caused by loss of adequate blood flow to a region of the brain. Without adequate ...
Paper
Research Article
Transition metals like copper (Cu), iron (Fe), and zinc (Zn) are vital for normal central nervous system function and are also linked to neurodegeneration, particularly in the onset and progression of Alzheimer's disease (AD). Their alterations in AD, identified prior to amyloid plaque aggregation, ...
Transition metals like copper (Cu), iron (Fe), and zinc (Zn) are vital for normal central nervous system function and are also linked to neurodegeneration, particularly in the onset and progression of Alzheimer's disease (AD). Their alterations in AD, identified prior to amyloid plaque aggregation, ...
Paper
Research Article
Metal complexes are emerging as promising alternatives to traditional platinum-based cancer treatments, offering reduced side effects. However, understanding their cellular uptake and distribution and quantifying their presence at the single cell level remains challenging. Advanced imaging ...
Metal complexes are emerging as promising alternatives to traditional platinum-based cancer treatments, offering reduced side effects. However, understanding their cellular uptake and distribution and quantifying their presence at the single cell level remains challenging. Advanced imaging ...
Minireview
Review Article
Metalloenzymes play central roles in the anaerobic metabolism of human gut microbes. They facilitate redox and radical-based chemistry that enables microbial degradation and modification of various endogenous, dietary, and xenobiotic nutrients in the anoxic gut environment. In this review, we ...
Metalloenzymes play central roles in the anaerobic metabolism of human gut microbes. They facilitate redox and radical-based chemistry that enables microbial degradation and modification of various endogenous, dietary, and xenobiotic nutrients in the anoxic gut environment. In this review, we ...
Paper
Research Article
Calcium (Ca) isotopes in blood/urine are emerging biomarkers of bone mineral balance (BMB) in the human body. While multiple studies have investigated Ca isotopes in patients suffering from diseases affecting BMB, comparatively little effort has been devoted to understanding the homeostasis of Ca ...
Calcium (Ca) isotopes in blood/urine are emerging biomarkers of bone mineral balance (BMB) in the human body. While multiple studies have investigated Ca isotopes in patients suffering from diseases affecting BMB, comparatively little effort has been devoted to understanding the homeostasis of Ca ...
Paper
Research Article
Streptomyces scabiei is the causative agent of common scab on root and tuber crops. Life in the soil imposes intense competition between soil-dwelling microorganisms, and we evaluated here the antimicrobial properties of S . scabiei . Under laboratory culture conditions, increasing peptone levels ...
Streptomyces scabiei is the causative agent of common scab on root and tuber crops. Life in the soil imposes intense competition between soil-dwelling microorganisms, and we evaluated here the antimicrobial properties of S . scabiei . Under laboratory culture conditions, increasing peptone levels ...
Paper
Research Article
Iron (Fe) and Zinc (Zn) are essential micronutrients for plant growth and development. ZIP (ZRT, IRT-like protein) transporters, known for their role in the regulation of Zinc and Iron uptake, are pivotal in facilitating the absorption, transport, and maintenance of Fe/Zn homeostasis in plants. ...
Iron (Fe) and Zinc (Zn) are essential micronutrients for plant growth and development. ZIP (ZRT, IRT-like protein) transporters, known for their role in the regulation of Zinc and Iron uptake, are pivotal in facilitating the absorption, transport, and maintenance of Fe/Zn homeostasis in plants. ...
