Number: 2006-037-1-500
Title: Metal-focussed -omics: guidelines for terminology and
critical evaluation of analytical approaches
Task Group
Chairman: Ryszard
Lobinski
Members: J. Sabine
Becker, Hiroki Haraguchi,
and B. Sarkar
Objective:
The objectives of the project are (1) the definition of terms related
to analytical chemistry of interactions of metals with biomolecules
in environmental, nutrition and life-sciences, such as e.g. metallome,
metalloproteome, and the corresponding -omics, (2) a critical evaluation
of analytical techniques suitable for metallomics, and validity and
pertinence of data obtained.
Description:
Bioinorganic analytical chemistry is a rapidly developing discipline
at the interface of trace element analysis and analytical biochemistry
which targets the detection, quantitation, identification and characterization
of complexes of metals (metalloids) with molecules of natural origin
(biomolecules) by hyphenated (coupled) techniques (PAC,
1999, 71, 899-917). The advances of trace element analysis
in life sciences resulted in proliferation of new terms related to the
description of metal-interactions with biomolecules. Examples of these
terms include: metallome, ionome, metalloproteome, metallogenome, metallometabolome,
heteroatom-tagged proteome, single element proteomes (ex. selenoproteome)
and the corresponding -omics. The terms are being coined by various
disciplines and the lack of communication among them results in the
growing confusion. All terms are very recent and have not been considered
in the Guidelines for Terms Related to Chemical Speciation Analysis
published in PAC,
2000, 72, 1453-1470.
In addition to the confusion in terminology, the methodological approaches
are proper to each individual discipline. They have all the characteristics
to be complementary but in practice they are carried out independently,
with no communication channels among the communities. These approaches
include: (i) in silico metal-binding motif analysis, (ii) bio-X-ray
Absorption Spectrometry analysis of metal content, oxidation state and
metal-site structures (iii) laser ablation-ICP MS elemental mapping
in non-denaturating gel electrophoresis (in combination with MALDI and/or
ESI MS), (iv) chromatography with the parallel ICP MS and ES MS/MS detection,
(v) immobilized-metal affinity chromatography (IMAC) for the isolation
of metalloproteomes, (vi) element mapping in biological tissues), and
(vii) metal isotope bioanalysis (fractionation during biological trafficking
and natural processing, tracer experiments using enriched stable isotopes,
isotope dilution analysis). The project intends a critical analysis
of these approaches, of the information they produce and of the validity
of data obtained.
The project targets the speciation analysis community organised around
the European Virtual Institute of Speciation Analysis (EVISA, www.speciation.net),
structural genomic consortia, clinical biochemistry, medicine and health
sciences communities (characterization of metal-related diseases and
related areas, heteroatom-containing species as new clinical biomarkers),
nutrition and metabolic sciences (molecular targets of metal binding
for essential nutrients and toxic metals), and environmental toxicology
(toxic metals in life-sciences and their environmental effects). It
should be of interest to regulatory bodies answering the question on
what valid information can be obtained in quantitative and routine way
in the metal-related -omics areas.
Progress:
> July 2007 report update (pdf
file - 6KB)
Last Update: 16 October 2007
<project announcement published in
Chem.
Int. July/Aug
2007, p. 24>