Issue 1, 2013

Calciomics: integrative studies of Ca2+-binding proteins and their interactomes in biological systems

Abstract

Calcium ion (Ca2+), the fifth most common chemical element in the earth's crust, represents the most abundant mineral in the human body. By binding to a myriad of proteins distributed in different cellular organelles, Ca2+ impacts nearly every aspect of cellular life. In prokaryotes, Ca2+ plays an important role in bacterial movement, chemotaxis, survival reactions and sporulation. In eukaryotes, Ca2+ has been chosen through evolution to function as a universal and versatile intracellular signal. Viruses, as obligate intracellular parasites, also develop smart strategies to manipulate the host Ca2+ signaling machinery to benefit their own life cycles. This review focuses on recent advances in applying both bioinformatic and experimental approaches to predict and validate Ca2+-binding proteins and their interactomes in biological systems on a genome-wide scale (termed “calciomics”). Calmodulin is used as an example of Ca2+-binding protein (CaBP) to demonstrate the role of CaBPs on the regulation of biological functions. This review is anticipated to rekindle interest in investigating Ca2+-binding proteins and Ca2+-modulated functions at the systems level in the post-genomic era.

Graphical abstract: Calciomics: integrative studies of Ca2+-binding proteins and their interactomes in biological systems

Supplementary files

Article information

Article type
Minireview
Submitted
10 Jan 2012
Accepted
23 Nov 2012
First published
26 Nov 2012

Metallomics, 2013,5, 29-42

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