Metals in Biology: The elements of Biotechnology and Bioenergy

该网络的目的是使英国成为研究和开发的首选目的地，这些研究和开发需要金属生物学专业知识。金属是生命反应的催化剂，预计这些需求将会增长。最早的一些发现是在英国发现的，这些发现揭示了金属是蛋白质的重要组成部分，而不仅仅是污染物。今天，我们有世界领导人揭示细胞如何处理金属和金属依赖酶的机制。现在正是利用这些知识造福工业和社会的大好时机。将利用这些知识进行创新的英国企业包括在其行业中已建立的世界领导者和新进入者。金属蛋白在生物能源生产、生物修复、生物医学、高价值工业原料合成等方面都有贡献。细胞的金属处理系统对于维持体内足够的金属蛋白物种形成至关重要。据估计，将近一半的酶，也许是所有基因产物的三分之一，都需要金属，这个网络的影响将是普遍的。金属处理电路也可以被破坏以抑制微生物。利用金属和金属螯合剂作为抗菌剂是生物模仿的一种形式，因为我们现在开始发现免疫系统操纵金属供应来抑制微生物的生长。事实上，许多常见的抗生素与金属紧密结合，一些抗生素与铁清除分子（铁载体）密切相关。金属供应途径可以被设计用于制造补品，如需要钴的维生素B12和含有金属修复基的酶。有才华的人目前分散在英国不同的研究社区。这个网络将把生物学家、化学家、数学家、工程师和其他人的努力汇集在一起，以便与工业界和有关管理当局进行有效的知识和技能转让。该网络将运行三年，包括有组织的讲习班、大型社区建设会议和在整个网络任期内额外的特设讲习班。

The purpose of this network is to make the UK the premier destination for research and development that demands Metals in Biology expertise. Metals catalyse the reactions of life and these demands are expected to grow.Some of the earliest discoveries, uncovering metals as vital components of proteins and not mere contaminants, were made in the UK. Today we have world leaders uncovering how cells handle metals and the mechanisms of metal-dependent enzymes. Now is an opportune moment to exploit this knowledge to the benefit of industry and society. UK businesses which will innovate with this knowledge include established world leaders in their sectors and new entrants. Metallo-proteins contribute to bio-energy production, bioremediation, biomedicine, synthesis of high value industrial feed-stocks and more. The metal-handling systems of cells are vital to sustain adequate metal-protein speciation in vivo. As nearly a half of enzymes, perhaps one third of all gene products, are estimated to require metals, the impact of this network will be pervasive.Metal-handling circuits can also be subverted to inhibit microbes. The exploitation of metals and metal-chelators as antimicrobials is a form of bio-mimicry since we are now starting to discover that immune systems manipulate metal-supply to inhibit microbial growth. Indeed, many common antibiotics tightly bind to metals and some antibiotics are closely related to iron-scavenging molecules (siderophores).Metal-supply pathways can be engineered for the manufacture of supplements such as cobalt-requiring vitamin B12 and enzymes with metallo-prosthetic groups. Talented individuals are currently scattered in different UK research communities. The efforts of biologists, chemists, mathematicians, engineers and others will be drawn together by this network to allow effective knowledge and skills transfer with industry and with the relevant regulatory authorities.The network will run for three years with structured workshops, a large community building meeting and additional ad hoc workshops throughout the tenure of the network.