An Expression System for a Transporter of Iron and Other Metals

One major source of reactive oxygen species (ROS) is the Fenton reaction: Fe²⁺ + H₂ O₂ Fe³ + HO^- + HO^� Mass action implies that ROS generated by the Fenton reaction depend on the intracellular concentration of ferrous ions ([Fe²⁺ ]) although other metabolic fluxes make it difficult to capture this concentration dependence. Other metals such as Cu⁺ may participate in a Fenton reaction and others may even have antioxidant activity; but, until recently, it was also difficult to affect intracellular [Fe²⁺ ] or the intracellular concentration of other divalent metals by experimental manipulation. This chapter reviews the discovery of a transporter that is involved in Fe²⁺ flux and potentially in the flux of other divalent metals and describes some ways to manipulate expression of this transporter.