Using Proteins in a Bioinorganic Laboratory Experiment: Iron Loading and Removal from Transferrin

With the increasing availability of metalloproteins it is now possible to incorporate them into bioinorganic laboratory experiments. Thus, we have developed a laboratory experiment where students use UV–vis spectroscopy to determine the rate of iron removal from transferrin by a well-known, commercially-available iron chelating drug, Deferiprone. Students gain experience in both chemical and biological laboratory techniques, while assessing the efficacy of a drug that is physiologically relevant to humans.