Reference no: EM133853613

Question

Make into study notes: Alright so this diagram looks complicated. Right? Essentially, this diagram illustrates how cadmium induces the gene expression or transcription of metallophilins by interacting with the metal regulatory transcription factor MTF-1. Okay. Now, initially, the metallophilin protein is bound to zinc ions. Alright. Now remember, the empty protein is the intracellular storage of zinc and zinc is an essential metal, right? Now, however, since cadmium has a higher binding affinity to the empty protein than zinc does, so basically, what you can see is cadmium displaces zinc from binding to the empty protein. Okay, now this is a displacement reaction, just because cadmium has a higher binding affinity to the empty protein. Okay, now, what you can see here is the zinc ion released from metallophilin is then taken up by the metal regulatory transcription factor MTF-1. Okay. Now, once binding to zinc, the transcription factor, MTF-1 is activated and translocates to the nucleus to initiate the gene expression of metallophilins. Okay, now, finally, transcription of the metallophilin gene occurs through the interaction between the transcription factor MTF-1 and the metal response elements located in the gene promoter of metallophilin, resulting in the transcription of the metallophilin gene, and the ultimate result is the increased production of the metallophilin protein.