9HQ6 | pdb_00009hq6

Structural insights in the HuHf@gold-monocarbene adduct: aurophilicity revealed in a biological context

Experimental Data Snapshot

  • Method: ELECTRON MICROSCOPY
  • Resolution: 1.51 Å
  • Aggregation State: PARTICLE 
  • Reconstruction Method: SINGLE PARTICLE 

wwPDB Validation   3D Report Full Report


This is version 1.1 of the entry. See complete history. 


Literature

Structural Insight Into a Human H Ferritin@Gold-Monocarbene Adduct: Aurophilicity Revealed in a Biological Context.

Cosottini, L., Giachetti, A., Guerri, A., Martinez-Castillo, A., Geri, A., Zineddu, S., Abrescia, N.G.A., Messori, L., Turano, P., Rosato, A.

(2025) Angew Chem Int Ed Engl 64: e202503778-e202503778

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1002/anie.202503778
  • Primary Citation of Related Structures:  
    9HQ6

  • PubMed Abstract: 

    Human H ferritin (HuHf) has excellent potential as a nanocarrier for the selective delivery of anticancer metal-based drugs to tumor cells. Here, we addressed the interaction of the gold monocarbene compound Au(NHC)Cl with HuHf by electrospray ionization-mass spectrometry (ESI-MS) measurements, which provide the metalation state of the protein subunits and demonstrate the involvement of protein cysteines in gold binding. The adduct between Au(NHC)Cl and HuHf was studied by cryo-EM measurements, resulting in a high-resolution 3D density map at 1.51 Å. The cryo-EM structure shows a novel tetranuclear gold(I) cluster, located in a surface pocket of each subunit where it is bound to Cys90 and Cys102. The short inter-metal distances are diagnostic of the occurrence of aurophilic interactions. The present work demonstrates the usefulness of cryo-EM to investigate the interactions between metal-based drugs and their protein targets/carriers, also leveraging the strong signal of transition metal ions.

    • Organizational Affiliation: 
    • Department of Chemistry "Ugo Schiff", University of Florence, Via della Lastruccia 3-13, Sesto Fiorentino, 50019, Italy.

Macromolecules
Find similar proteins by: 
(by identity cutoff)  |  3D Structure
Entity ID: 1
MoleculeChains Sequence LengthOrganismDetailsImage
Ferritin heavy chain182Homo sapiensMutation(s): 0 
Gene Names: FTH1, FTH, FTHL6, OK/SW-cl.84, PIG15
EC: 1.16.3.1
UniProt & NIH Common Fund Data Resources
Find proteins for P02794 (Homo sapiens)
Explore P02794 
Go to UniProtKB:  P02794
PHAROS:  P02794
GTEx:  ENSG00000167996 
Entity Groups  
Sequence Clusters30% Identity50% Identity70% Identity90% Identity95% Identity100% Identity
UniProt GroupP02794
Sequence Annotations
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  • Reference Sequence
Small Molecules
Ligands 2 Unique
IDChains Name / Formula / InChI Key2D Diagram3D Interactions
AU
Query on AU
Download Ideal Coordinates CCD File 
AA [auth A]
AB [auth F]
AC [auth K]
AE [auth W]
BA [auth A]
AA [auth A],
AB [auth F],
AC [auth K],
AE [auth W],
BA [auth A],
BB [auth F],
BD [auth Q],
BE [auth W],
CA [auth A],
CC [auth L],
CD [auth Q],
CE [auth W],
DB [auth G],
DC [auth L],
DD [auth Q],
DE [auth W],
EA [auth B],
EB [auth G],
EC [auth L],
ED [auth Q],
FA [auth B],
FB [auth G],
FC [auth L],
FE [auth X],
GA [auth B],
GB [auth G],
GD [auth R],
GE [auth X],
HA [auth B],
HC [auth M],
HD [auth R],
HE [auth X],
IB [auth H],
IC [auth M],
ID [auth R],
IE [auth X],
JA [auth C],
JB [auth H],
JC [auth M],
JD [auth R],
KA [auth C],
KB [auth H],
KC [auth M],
KE [auth Y],
LA [auth C],
LB [auth H],
LD [auth S],
LE [auth Y],
MA [auth C],
MC [auth N],
MD [auth S],
ME [auth Y],
NB [auth I],
NC [auth N],
ND [auth S],
NE [auth Y],
OA [auth D],
OB [auth I],
OC [auth N],
OD [auth S],
PA [auth D],
PB [auth I],
PC [auth N],
QA [auth D],
QB [auth I],
QD [auth T],
RA [auth D],
RC [auth O],
RD [auth T],
SB [auth J],
SC [auth O],
SD [auth T],
TA [auth E],
TB [auth J],
TC [auth O],
TD [auth T],
UA [auth E],
UB [auth J],
UC [auth O],
VA [auth E],
VB [auth J],
VD [auth V],
WA [auth E],
WC [auth P],
WD [auth V],
XB [auth K],
XC [auth P],
XD [auth V],
YA [auth F],
YB [auth K],
YC [auth P],
YD [auth V],
Z [auth A],
ZA [auth F],
ZB [auth K],
ZC [auth P]
GOLD ION
Au
ZBKIUFWVEIBQRT-UHFFFAOYSA-N
BM0 (Subject of Investigation/LOI)
Query on BM0
Download Ideal Coordinates CCD File 
AD [auth Q]
BC [auth L]
CB [auth G]
DA [auth B]
EE [auth X]
AD [auth Q],
BC [auth L],
CB [auth G],
DA [auth B],
EE [auth X],
FD [auth R],
GC [auth M],
HB [auth H],
IA [auth C],
JE [auth Y],
KD [auth S],
LC [auth N],
MB [auth I],
NA [auth D],
PD [auth T],
QC [auth O],
RB [auth J],
SA [auth E],
UD [auth V],
VC [auth P],
WB [auth K],
XA [auth F],
Y [auth A],
ZD [auth W]
1-butyl-3-methyl-1H-imidazol-3-ium
C8 H15 N2
IQQRAVYLUAZUGX-UHFFFAOYSA-N
Experimental Data & Validation

Experimental Data

  • Method: ELECTRON MICROSCOPY
  • Resolution: 1.51 Å
  • Aggregation State: PARTICLE 
  • Reconstruction Method: SINGLE PARTICLE 
EM Software:
TaskSoftware PackageVersion
MODEL REFINEMENTPHENIX1.21.2_5419

Structure Validation

View Full Validation Report



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Entry History & Funding Information

Deposition Data

Funding OrganizationLocationGrant Number
Ministero dell Universita e della RicercaItalyECS00000017
Ministero dell Universita e della RicercaItalyIR0000009
Spanish Ministry of Economy and CompetitivenessSpainPID2021-126130OB-I00

Revision History  (Full details and data files)

  • Version 1.0: 2025-05-07
    Type: Initial release
  • Version 1.1: 2025-07-30
    Changes: Data collection, Database references