All organisms, from archaea to mammals, have iron-containing proteins. As a result, the proper management of iron levels in cells is critical for normal physiological function (Lee etal. 2006). Cells have evolved to accomplish such iron homeostasis by iron's ability to form ligands with various proteins. However, when not properly liganded, iron will show its dark side: unliganded iron can trigger the Fenton reaction, thereby producing highly reactive hydroxyl radicals.
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