Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jun 30, 2026
06:23
Preparation of DMMTAV and DMDTAV Using DMAV for Environmental Applications: Synthesis, Purification, and Confirmation
Published on: March 9, 2018
Transport pathways for arsenic and selenium: a minireview.
1Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Wayne State University, School of Medicine, 540 East Canfield Avenue, Detroit, MI 48201, USA. brosen@med.wayne.edu
Environment International
|September 16, 2008
Summary
This review explores membrane transport proteins for arsenic and selenium, crucial metalloids in the environment. Understanding these proteins in bacteria and humans aids in managing their toxic or essential roles.
Area of Science:
- Environmental Science
- Biochemistry
- Toxicology
Background:
- Arsenic and selenium are environmental metalloids with differing toxicity and biological roles.
- Arsenic poses a significant human health risk due to its prevalence and toxicity.
- Selenium is an essential micronutrient despite its lower toxicity.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review membrane transport proteins involved in arsenic and selenium uptake.
- To discuss efflux proteins facilitating detoxification of these metalloids.
- To cover transport mechanisms across diverse organisms, from bacteria to humans.
Main Methods:
- Literature review of scientific publications.
- Analysis of membrane protein functions in metalloid transport.
- Comparative study across different biological systems.
Main Results:
- Identified key membrane proteins responsible for arsenic and selenium cellular accumulation.
- Highlighted the role of efflux proteins in mitigating metalloid toxicity.
- Demonstrated conserved and divergent transport mechanisms across species.
Conclusions:
- Membrane transport proteins are critical for cellular arsenic and selenium homeostasis.
- Understanding these transporters is vital for addressing health risks and nutritional requirements.
- Further research into these proteins can inform therapeutic strategies.
Related Concept Videos
01:26Toxic Reactions: Overview
When toxic substances penetrate the human body, they disseminate to various tissues, undergoing metabolic changes. This process yields reactive metabolites that may covalently bind with specific target molecules, resulting in toxicity.
Toxicity falls into two primary categories: local and systemic.
Local toxicity appears at the exposure site, such as protein denaturation caused by caustic substances.
In contrast, systemic toxicity requires the toxic agent's absorption and distribution,...
Toxicity falls into two primary categories: local and systemic.
Local toxicity appears at the exposure site, such as protein denaturation caused by caustic substances.
In contrast, systemic toxicity requires the toxic agent's absorption and distribution,...
01:23Drug Elimination: Non-Renal Routes
The liver plays a pivotal role in eliminating drugs and their metabolites, primarily through a process known as biliary excretion. This process involves the hepatocytes, the primary cells in the liver that generate bile. A range of transporters actively expels polar drugs or hydrophilic drug metabolites into the bile, which transports the drugs and metabolites into the small intestine. From here, they are eventually expelled from the body through feces. In some instances, the original drug or a...
01:22Phase II Reactions: Glutathione Conjugation and Mercapturic Acid Formation
Glutathione, a tripeptide made up of glutamate, cysteine, and glycine, is a critical player in the detoxification of drugs and xenobiotics via a process known as glutathione conjugation or mercapturic acid formation. This phase II biotransformation reaction involves the covalent binding of glutathione to a drug or its metabolite, enhancing the compound's water solubility and enabling its excretion.
Several distinctive characteristics distinguish glutathione conjugation from other phase II...
Several distinctive characteristics distinguish glutathione conjugation from other phase II...
01:20Sulfur Assimilation
Sulfur is an essential element in biological systems, contributing to synthesizing key biomolecules, including amino acids such as cysteine and methionine, and cofactors such as coenzyme A and biotin. Microorganisms primarily assimilate sulfur as sulfate (SO₄²⁻) from the environment, which must undergo a series of biochemical transformations before it can be incorporated into cellular components. As sulfate is highly oxidized, it must undergo assimilatory sulfate reduction to become...
01:24Microbes and Other Elemental Cycles
Microbial activity plays a pivotal role in the biogeochemical cycling of iron and manganese, especially at the redox gradients characteristic of stratified aquatic environments. These cycles are driven by microbial transformations between oxidized and reduced forms of the metals, allowing organisms to exploit them for metabolic energy and structural purposes.Iron Cycling Across Redox GradientsIn neutral, oxygen-rich surface waters, iron is predominantly found in its oxidized, insoluble ferric...
01:25Microbial Bioremediation of Uranium
Microorganisms play a critical role in the transformation and immobilization of uranium in contaminated environments through four main pathways: bioreduction, biosorption, bioaccumulation, and biomineralization. These mechanisms reduce uranium’s toxicity and prevent its migration through groundwater systems, offering sustainable approaches for in situ bioremediation.Bioreduction of UraniumBioreduction is driven by anaerobic bacteria such as certain strains of Geobacter and Shewanella, which use...