Health & Environmental Research Online (HERO)


Print Feedback Export to File
1544396 
Journal Article 
One ring to rule them all: Trafficking of heme and heme synthesis intermediates in the metazoans 
Hamza, I; Dailey, HA 
2012 
Biochimica et Biophysica Acta. Molecular Cell Research
ISSN: 0167-4889
EISSN: 1879-2596 
1823 
1617-1632 
The appearance of heme, an organic ring surrounding an iron
atom, in evolution forever changed the efficiency with which organisms were able to generate
energy, utilize gasses and catalyze numerous reactions. Because of this, heme has become a near
ubiquitous compound among living organisms. In this review we have attempted to assess the
current state of heme synthesis and trafficking with a goal of identifying crucial missing
information, and propose hypotheses related to trafficking that may generate discussion and
research. The possibilities of spatially organized supramolecular enzyme complexes and organelle
structures that facilitate efficient heme synthesis and subsequent trafficking are discussed and
evaluated. Recently identified players in heme transport and trafficking are reviewed and placed
in an organismal context. Additionally, older, well established data are reexamined in light of
more recent studies on cellular organization and data available from newer model organisms. This
article is part of a Special Issue entitled: Cell Biology of Metals. (C) 2012 Elsevier By. All
rights reserved. 
Heme; Tetrapyrrole; Porphyrin; Iron; Trafficking