Metal Ions in Biological Systems

Biological cycling of iron in the sea; microbial iron transport - iron acquisition by pathogenic microorganisms; bacterial iron transport - mechanisms, genetics and regulation; molecular biology of iron transport in fungi; soil microorganisms and iron uptake by higher plants; iron transport in gaminaceous plants; the coordination chemistry of siderophores - thermodynamics and kinetics of iron chelation and release; biomimetic siderophores - from structural probes to diagnostic tools; the physical chemistry of bacterial outer-membrane siderophore receptor proteins; the iron responsive element (IRE) family of mRNA regulators; structure and structure-function relationships in the ferritins; ferritin - uptake, storage and release of iron; ferritin - its mineralization; iron storage and ferritin in plants; transferrin, the transferring receptor and the uptake of iron by cells; iron homeostasis; the role of other metals in iron transport; iron chelators for clinical use.