Dr McDevitt and the team of researchers including PhD student Stephanie Begg, who conducted the research, are investigating how the disease - causing bacteria Streptococcus pneumoniae is able to
scavenge essential metals during infection, and how this might be blocked to prevent disease.
Xenobiotic metals can
replace essential metals such as zinc, which in turn can inhibit important enzymes and other functions.
The reason zinc prices have rocketed higher in recent weeks is that zinc is
an essential metal for the construction industry.
Copper is
an essential metal in many cellular processes but its levels have to be carefully regulated to avoid deficiency or toxic overload.
Published in the journal Nature Communications, this research has shown how cadmium disrupts the transport of
the essential metals manganese and zinc into and out of cells.
This... same mechanism might now be applied to both the removal of aluminium from the body and the reduced entry of aluminium into the body while ensuring that
essential metals, such as iron, are unaffected.
Silver is chemically very similar to copper,
an essential metal due to its importance in several enzymes.
For example, the toxic metals, mercury and cadmium, can substitute for
the essential metals, zinc and selenium.
Express Pool's enlarging in 6 US cities to start, with more on the way, and finally, Apple appears to be taking steps to ensure that
an essential metal for battery production is never out of reach.