Cobalt proteins

In the form of vitamin B-12, cobalt plays a number of crucial roles in many biological functions. However, recent studies have provided information on the biochemistry and bioinorganic chemistry of several proteins containing cobalt in a form other than that in the corrin ring of vitamin B-12. To da re, eight noncorrin-cobalt-containing enzymes (methionine aminopeptidase, p rolidase, nitrile hydratase, glucose isomerase, methylmalonyl-CoA carboxytr ansferase, aldehyde decarbonylase, lysine-2,3-aminomutase, and bromoperoxid ase) have been isolated and characterized. A cobalt transporter is involved in the metallocenter biosynthesis of the host cobalt-containing enzyme, ni trile hydratase. Understanding the differences between cobalt and nickel tr ansporters might lead to drug development for gastritis and peptic ulcerati on.