Transition
metals, heavy metals and
metalloids are usually toxic in excess, but a number of transition metals are essential
trace elements. In all cells there are mechanisms for
metal ion homeostasis that frequently involve a balance between uptake and efflux systems. This review will briefly describe
ATP-coupled resistance pumps. ZntA and CadA are bacterial
P-type ATPases that confers resistance to Zn(II), Cd(II) and Pb(II). Homologous
copper pumps include the Menkes and
Wilson disease proteins and CopA, an Escherichia coli pump that confers resistance to Cu(I). For resistance to
arsenicals and antimonials there are several different families of transporters. In E. coli the ArsAB
ATPase is a novel system that confers resistance to As(III) and Sb(III). Eukaryotic
arsenic resistance transporters include Acr3p and Ycf1p of Saccharomyces cerevisiae. These systems provide resistance to
arsenite [As(III)].
Arsenate [As(V)] detoxification involves reduction of As(V) to As(III), a process catalyzed by
arsenate reductase enzymes. There are three families of
arsenate reductases, two found in bacterial systems and a third identified in S. cerevisiae.